60 item(s) were returned.
The spending bill being negotiated by the House and Senate is expected to fund the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year. Notable among the bill’s energy-related measures is its defunding of the DOE program responsible for the energy-efficient light bulb standards due to take effect in 2012. The spending bill would not overturn these standards, but would effectively block DOE’s ability to enforce them. The standards are expected to phase out the 100 watt incandescent bulb in 2012, and phase out 40-, 60- and 75-watt incandescents by 2014. [New York Times] The standards were passed on a… [more]
View InsightAs part of the Better Buildings Initiative, the Obama Administration announced a Presidential Memorandum on December 2, 2011 directing “nearly $4 billion in combined federal and private sector energy upgrades to buildings over the next 2 years.” The Administration’s announcement states that these “investments will save billions in energy costs, promote energy independence, and, according to independent estimates, create tens of thousands of jobs in the hard-hit construction sector.” $2 billion comes from private and non-Federal commitments, from companies such as 3M, GE and Alcoa, and state and local governments such as the State of Minnesota, the District of Columbia,… [more]
View InsightNote: Synopsis drawn from the report. Synopsis intended solely for the purpose of generating discussion. Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future by the Obama Administration Demand for oil in countries like China and India is growing, and the price of oil will continue to rise with it. We need to make America more secure and control our energy future by harnessing all of the resources that we have available and embracing a diverse energy portfolio. Beyond our efforts to reduce our dependence on oil, we must focus on expanding cleaner sources of electricity, including renewables like wind and solar, as… [more]
View InsightNote: Synopsis based U.S. DOE summary provided to OurEnergyPolicy.org. Complete text US DOE Mission and Goals The mission of the Department of Energy is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. Goal 1: Catalyze the timely, material, and efficient transformation of the nation’s energy system and secure U.S. leadership in clean energy technologies. Goal 2: Maintain a vibrant U.S. effort in science and engineering as a cornerstone of our economic prosperity with clear leadership in strategic areas. Goal 3: Enhance nuclear security through defense, nonproliferation, and environmental… [more]
View InsightNote: Synopsis from Senator Lugar’s office. June 9, 2010—U.S. Senator Dick Lugar’s Practical Energy and Climate Plan, S.3464, prioritizes targeted policies that can bring real money and energy savings while providing flexible frameworks that encourage investment in a more secure energy future. Title I. Reducing Foreign Oil Dependence Vehicle efficiency standards for passenger vehicles (Sec 101). Currently, fuel efficiency standards for passenger cars and trucks do not increase unless Congress or the Administration acts. This expectation will be reversed, providing long-term, predictable increases with annual 4% target CAFE improvements that are cost effective. Vehicle efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty… [more]
View InsightNote: Synopsis based on Our Energy Policy Foundation staff review of Congressional committee and office summaries, third party analyses, and media summaries. Synopsis intended solely for the purposes of generating discussion. Renewable Electricity Standard Would require electric utilities to meet 6% of their electricity demand through renewable energy sources and energy efficiency by 2012, and 20% by 2020. Qualifying renewable energy sources are solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, marine and hydrokinetic energy, certain biofuels, wastewater-treatment gas, landfill gas, coalmine methane, and post-1992 hydropower projects. Up to 1/4 of the 2020 requirement (or 5%) could be met through energy efficiency improvements. If… [more]
View InsightNote: Synopsis based on OurEnergyPolicy.org review of Congressional committee and office summaries, third party analyses, and media summaries. Synopsis intended solely for the purposes of generating discussion. Federal Energy Planning Would require a new comprehensive Federal energy plan one year into each new Presidential term. Emergent Energy Technology Investment Would establish the Clean Energy Deployment Administration to facilitate financing for clean energy technologies and expand the U.S. market for such technologies. Would establish a 4-year integrated plan to double the U.S. investment in energy innovation and technology, to a total of almost $6.6 billion, with a complementary set of programs… [more]
View Insight[Note: The statements below are intended solely to stimulate discussion among the Expert community, and do not represent the position of OurEnergyPolicy.org. Text in italics indicates clarification or expansion.] Research must help us to find the solution to GHG emissions from electricity generation. Given the current technologies and the growth rate of the developing countries (based mostly on coal), we need new technologies that when ready can be implemented as government policies. We strongly recommend increasing the research grants for global warming with emphasis on solutions. Therefore, the federal government should allocate special research funds for short term solutions… [more]
View Insight[Note: The statements below are intended solely to stimulate discussion among the Expert community, and do not represent the position of OurEnergyPolicy.org. Text in italics indicates clarification or expansion.] The use of cheap electricity in the development of the U.S. economy is a critical part of what has helped create the American dream. We should not underestimate the importance of the use of energy to the American economy and on the American innovation and way of life. This is not an endorsement to waste. It is a warning against Malthusian approaches. Changing our way of life can have many… [more]
View Insight[Note: The statements below are intended solely to stimulate discussion among the Expert community, and do not represent the position of OurEnergyPolicy.org. Text in italics indicates clarification or expansion.] The U.S. will be moving to electricity based short-haul transportation at a rapid pace. The transition is in its early stages and will grow exponentially starting in 2010. The electric battery car will be the vehicle of the 21 century. It is highly likely that within 15-20 years every new car will be electric. Cheap electricity is a critical component of U.S. competitiveness. Worldwide energy prices will continue to rise.… [more]
View Insight