Across The Aisle On Energy | Green Energy News

December 5, 2004 – Vol.9 No.37

ACROSS THE AISLE ON ENERGY.

Early in its first term the Bush Administration determined that the nation would get a comprehensive, long-term energy plan. But after more than two years of haggling, Congress produced nothing, only bits and pieces, such as the extension of the production tax credit for selected renewables. (The one-year extension could hardly be considered long term, however.)

After two years of work, backed by 30 original research studies, the National Commission on Energy his issued its final report - Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges.

The Commission has pledged to spend 2005 in selling the plan to Congress, the states and industry. The plan, if eventually adopted would be a major step forward for energy efficiency, renewable energy, even getting greenhouse gases along a reduction path. In relation to greener energy the plan would:

--- Strengthen the federal fuel economy standards beginning no later than 2010 for cars and light trucks. The new standard would include consideration for vehicle performance, safety, job impacts, and competitiveness.

--- Reform the 30-year-old Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program to allow more flexibility and limit corporate costs.

--- Spend $3 billion in incentives over 10 years to car manufacturers and consumers to help build the nation’s fleet of hybrid-electric and clean diesel vehicles.

--- Expand energy efficiency standards for appliances, equipment and buildings.

--- Increase federal funding for renewable electricity technologies research and development by $360 million per year.

--- Extend through 2009 the production tax credit (PTC) for wind and other renewables and all non-carbon energy sources, as well as next generation nuclear power and advanced fossil fuel generation that includes carbon capture and sequestration.

--- Establish a $1.5 billion program over 10 years to increase production of advanced non-petroleum transportation fuels from biomass, including waste.

--- Support ongoing efforts by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to promote market-based approaches to integrating intermittent resources (such as wind energy) to the grid.

--- Integrate improvements in efficiency standards with targeted technology incentives, research and development, consumer information, and programs sponsored by electric and gas utilities.

--- Doubling federal government funding for energy research and development

--- Increase incentives for private sector energy research, development and early deployment.

Overall the plan would be revenue neutral, the commission says. It could be paid for by a greenhouse gas tradable permits program. Up to $36 billion could be raised over 10 years, they say.

Unlike the study done by Vice President Dick Cheney in 2001, participants included a wide range of stake-holders, not limited mostly to fossil energy companies and consultants.

For the report visit the National Commission on Energy Policy at http://www.energycommission.org/ .