37 item(s) were returned.
J.C. Ward Jr. Professor of Nuclear Energy Engineering
Cornell University
The President said in his State of the Union Address, “And nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy.” He then talked about opening federal land for oil and gas exploration, implied that relying on foreign oil is not a good thing, and stated, “This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy a strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.” Considering the President’s all-of-the-above platform, and the goals implicit in it, we’d be wise to evaluate our national relationship to oil. The U.S. currently produces around 7.6 million… [more]
View InsightProfessor of Public Policy
Georgia Institute of Technology
In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama proposed a Clean Energy Standard (CES) requiring that 80 percent of the nation’s electricity come from clean energy resources by 2035. Over the past decade, Congress has debated renewable electricity standards, typically allowing energy efficiency to meet a portion of the target. For example, in 2009, an RES was included in the American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009, requiring 15% renewables by 2021, and 27% of this target could be met by energy efficiency. What happened to energy efficiency in the President’s proposal? A well-designed CES policy would enable… [more]
View InsightThe Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 includes a renewable fuels standard requiring fuel refiners to blend an increasing amount of advanced biofuels into their gasoline and diesel fuel stocks. In 2011, the Act mandated the blending of 6.6 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels. However, sufficient cellulosic fuels were not available to refiners for purchase and use. Refiners are now being fined for failing to meet the quota. [New York Times] The Times characterized this situation as an example of “what happens when the federal government really, really wants something that technology is not ready to provide.” Through loan… [more]
View InsightUniversity Distinguished Professor
Michigan State University, Dept. of Chemical Engineering
The past century can rightly be called the Age of Oil. World oil consumption grew from about 20 million metric tons/year in 1900 to nearly 4000 million tons/year in 2005—a 200 fold increase. The economic activity enabled by oil consumption also greatly increased both human wealth and the human population size over the last century. But it is also clear that the Age of Oil is winding down. It is obvious, but often forgotten, that we must discover oil before we can produce, refine and use it. Worldwide, the rate of discovery of new oil reserves peaked in the 1960s.… [more]
View InsightA federal judge has ruled to block California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, arguing that it “unconstitutionally discriminates against out-of-state producers and tries to regulate activities that take place entirely outside state boundaries.” The standard “impermissibly treads into the province and powers of our federal government, reaches beyond its boundaries to regulate activity wholly outside of its borders,” the judge said. [The New York Times] The standard would function by using life-cycle analysis to identify the CO2 intensity of fuels. Fuel-makers whose products have lower CO2 intensity would be rewarded with tradable credits. Those selling higher CO2 fuels would have to… [more]
View InsightTranscript: “Economics of America’s Oil Dependence” Opening Remarks: WILLIAM SQUADRON, President, OurEnergyPolicy.org REPRESENTATIVE PETER WELCH (D VT), Co Chair, Congressional Peak Oil Caucus REPRESENTATIVE ROSCOE BARTLETT (R MD), Co Chair Congressional Peak Oil Caucus Panel Speakers: THE HONORABLE J. BENNETT JOHNSTON, Retired U.S. Senator from Louisiana; Chairman, Johnston & Associates ROGER BEZDEK, President, Management Information Services, Inc.; Co Author, The Impending World Energy Mess EYAL ARONOFF, Co Founder, Quest Software; Member, Set America Free Coalition Moderator: YOSSIE HOLLANDER, Founder and Chairman, OurEnergyPolicy.org
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Transcript: “Energy Innovation and American Competitiveness” Sponsored by OurEnergyPolicy.org and the Congressional Research & Development Caucus 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3, 2011 B340 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. Opening Remarks: WILLIAM SQUADRON, President, Our Energy Policy Foundation Panel Speakers: NATHAN S. LEWIS, Director, U.S. DOE Innovation Hub; Professor of Chemistry, CalTech MARK MURO, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution DAVID KREUTZER, Research Fellow in Energy Economics and Climate Change, The Heritage Foundation Moderator: YOSSIE HOLLANDER, Founder and Chairman, Our Energy Policy Foundation
View InsightNote: Synopsis adapted by OurEnergyPolicy.org from report summary. Synopsis intended solely for purposes of generating discussion. Alternative Fuels for Military Applications By James T. Bartis & Lawrence Van Bibber, RAND Corporation The U.S. military has expressed interest in being early users of alternative fuels in their tactical weapon systems. Doing so would supplement the services’ use of gasohol and biodiesel in administrative and other nondeployable vehicles. Each of the services has established programs geared toward reducing dependence on the use of fossil fuels in tactical weapon systems, such as aircraft, combat ships and vehicles, and supporting equipment. If the services… [more]
View InsightNote: Synopsis based on OurEnergyPolicy.org review of draft legislation as well as media summaries. Synopsis intended solely for purposes of generating discussion. Key provisions of H.R. 1687, the Open Fuel Standard Act of 2011 (as of May 5, 2011) Would require defined percentages of light-duty automobile manufacturer’s inventory to operate on nonpetroleum fuels in addition to, or instead of, petroleum-based fuels along the following timetables 50% of new vehicles in 2014 80% of new vehicles in 2016 95% of new vehicles in 2017 and each subsequent year Qualified vehicles would include passenger automobiles and light-duty motor vehicles which: operate solely… [more]
View InsightNote: Synopses taken from Congressional Research Service summaries. H.R. 1476 & S. 835 H.R. 1476 S. 835 Requires each light-duty automobile manufacturer’s annual covered inventory to comprise at least: 50% fuel choice-enabling automobiles in years 2012-2014; and 80% fuel choice-enabling automobiles in 2015, and in each subsequent year. Requires each light-duty automobile manufacturer’s annual covered inventory to comprise at least: 50% fuel choice-enabling automobiles in years 2012-2014; and 80% fuel choice-enabling automobiles in 2015, and in each subsequent year. Defines “fuel choice-enabling automobile” as: a flexible fuel automobile capable of operating on gasoline, E85, and M85; or an automobile capable… [more]
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