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Energy Literacy Advocates Newsroom

Energy Literacy Advocates (ELA) is a non-partisan, non-profit, public education and advocacy group dedicated to improving the energy literacy of all sectors of our democracy in order to empower a comprehensive national energy policy that is responsible and sustainable. Stay tuned for updated energy news!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Obama Looking Forward to Senate Action on Energy Bill


The "American Clean Energy and Security Act," passed by a narrow vote in the House, is now facing a hard contest in the Senate. Across party lines, Senators have voiced concerns about effects of proposed cap and trade measures on jobs, industry and the domestic economy.


Obama remains confident that the Senate will take action to pass the bill in the next few months. The President cited the bill as a signpost to the world that America is reclaiming leadership in the new energy economy.


Besides the controversial cap and trade measure, the bill also sets policy to drop greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent by 2020, to create more "green" jobs, and to lessen American dependency on imported oil.


To read more, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:13 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 29, 2009

Obama Signs "Cash for Clunkers" Measure Into Law


Friday the "Cash for Clunkers" measure was signed into law by President Barack Obama, becoming the Car Allowance Rebate System (C.A.R.S.) program.


The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will oversee the program, and has 30 days to rollout the bill's provisions. $1 billion in initial funding is tied to C.A.R.S., which offers a maximum rebate of $4500 to the consumer.


To learn more about the program through the NHTSA's official website, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:09 AM 0 comments

Friday, June 26, 2009

American Clean Energy and Security Act Gets Boost from President


President Barack Obama urged the House to pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES). A vote is expected today.


ACES packages renewable energy standards together with climate legislation, including the introduction of a cap and trade system for greenhouse gas emissions. Obama urged support for the bill not only to amend climate change, but also to promote jobs in the renewable energy sector.


To listen to the President's comments, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 8:30 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Oil Price Bubble Could Strike Again


During joint talks between the European Union (EU) and OPEC, officials warned that another oil price spike could threaten economic recovery.


OPEC is calling for greater transparency and regulation, particularly in the global economic market, to prevent another price bubble.


Oil is currently trading at $68 dollars per barrel, far below the record of $150 set last year.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:26 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Consensus Nearing on Climate Legislation

Bloomberg - Democratic negotiators are reported to be close to an agreement on climate-change legislation and the measure may come to a vote on June 26.

“It is quite possible and maybe even probable we will go” to the floor with the measure at the end of this week “and complete the energy legislation,” Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader and Maryland Democrat, told reporters in Washington today.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act would establish a market system for trading U.S. pollution permits as a way to control greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

To read more, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 7:56 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Automakers to Get Boost for Fuel-Efficient Vehicles


Announced today, a total of $8 billion will be loaned by the Obama administration to Ford, Nissan and Tesla to build more fuel-efficient cars.


The companies will use these loan to re-tool production facilities and expand fuel efficient model options.


The bulk of specified efficient models will be electric or plug-in hybrids.


Loans for Chrysler and GM are pending.


To read more, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 2:23 PM 0 comments

Monday, June 22, 2009

Budget Office Releases Controversial Energy Bill Costs


The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its findings late Friday for costs per household under HR 2454, the comprehensive energy package under consideration in the House of Representatives.

The CBO calculated average cost to be $175 per household per year. To calculate these expenses, CBO evaluated only the cap and trade legislation portions. Costs will be higher for wealthier households, based on a net cost of $22 billion.

Critics have cited the CBO's estimates as overly optimistic. The costs calculate expenses for only part of the bill, and count benefits like free permits to offset costs. Without these provisions, total cost may reach beyond $110 billion in 2020, or $890 annually per household.

HR 2454 is expected to be put up for full debate in the House by July.

To read more about this issue in The New York Times, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 1:32 PM 0 comments

Friday, June 19, 2009

Cash for Clunkers Approved by Congress


The "Cash for Clunkers" legislation passed the Senate on Thursday afternoon, and is on its way to the President's desk to become law.


The policy overcame several barriers between Senate and House versions. The final bill maintains that qualifying "gas guzzlers" must get 18 miles per gallon or less, must have been owned and insured for more than one year by the current owner, and must have been built in 1984 or later.


To qualify for the full voucher amount of $4,500, the consumer must choose a new car that averages 10 miles per gallon better than the trade-in vehicle.


The Cash for Clunkers program will last one year, and is expected to cost $4 billion.


To read more, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:10 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Energy Secretary Pushes Climate Bill


U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today urged Congress to pass existing climate legislation, and avoid delaying decisions by waiting for more perfect policies to develop down the road.


Chu stressed that he would like to see action on climate change this year.


The existing proposal, passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, targets a 17 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by the year 2020.
To read more, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:50 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Senate Energy Panel Approves Energy Bill


The Wall Street Journal - The US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee made the initial approval on an energy bill, voting 15-8 to send the bill on to the full Senate for consideration.
The bill represents a compromise between mandating new renewable energy technologies and attempting to keep energy costs down.
The bill faces a contentious future, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has pledged to combine the measure with climate-change legislation, including controversial cap and trade mandates.
To read the full article, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 11:39 AM 0 comments

New Energy Horizons: Biodiesel Update

Biodiesel fuels continue to garner a lot of interest as alternative sources of energy, since their manufacture can be adapted to regional resources, and the fuel itself can be generated from various types of waste.

MSN serves up a quick synopsis of biodiesel. To learn more, click here!

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:03 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Cash for Clunkers Debate Continues in Senate

With predictions growing that Congress will pass a version of the "Cash for Clunkers" legislation this week, the House bill still has to overcome several hurdles in the Senate.

The Senate has criticized the House version, stating that its relaxed voucher qualifications amount to another car industry bailout, rather than a fuel efficiency and fleet modernization strategy. The Senate's own "Cash for Clunkers" version mandates higher fuel efficiency gains to qualify for vouchers.

The current "Cash for Clunkers" House proposal has garnered the support of the United Auto Workers union, which has promoted the legislation as the "single most important step to aid the auto industry."

So far, $1 billion of the $4 billion in necessary funding has been secured for the measure.

To read the latest Associated Press release on this policy proposal, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:08 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 15, 2009

"Clean" Coal Again in America's Energy Portfolio?

Department of Energy Secretary Stephen Chu signalled a reversal in previous DOE policy today as he announced the government will fund a massive clean coal project, that 18 months ago was cancelled.

The government will offer 2 to 1 funding alongside private investors to create a prototype coal plant which captures the carbon dioxide it produces. Initial government funding estimates are over $1 billion for the joint research effort.

To read an opinion article about this policy reversal, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 12:02 PM 0 comments

Friday, June 12, 2009

Cash for Clunkers – An Opportunity Lost?

Energy Literacy Advocates has been closely following the Cash for Clunkers debate on capital hill since several different versions of the legislation were floated months ago. We previously published a white paper discussing the pros and cons of such legislation, as well as key components we felt needed to be considered (Click here for details). Unfortunately the bill passed by the House on Tuesday does not contain several of these key components.

But first the good news: Only vehicles with fuel efficiencies of 18 MPG or less are eligible for the program in the current version of the bill (H.R. 2751). There is a cap on the new vehicle purchase price of $45,000 and you must prove you have been driving your clunker for the past year by providing proof of insurance. These parameters are both reasonable and logical, as avoiding the creation of a black market for clunkers and only incentivizing the purchase of reasonably priced vehicles (not luxury vehicles) is common sense.

However the hurdles set for the purchase of a new car (+4 MPG for $3,500 and +10 MPG for $4,500) are uncomfortably low and the hurdles set for trucks (+2 MPG and +5 MPG for Category 1 trucks, which include light trucks and SUVs) are woefully inadequate. Not to mention the incentives for Category 2 and 3, or “work” trucks, which are nothing short of a handout.

If we are going to commit $4 Billion for a program that replaces roughly 625,000 vehicles (as estimated by the Congressional Budget Office), or 0.31% of the entire fleet, we deserve to have a meaningful increase in fleet wide efficiency over time. Mind you any program that swaps for fuel efficient vehicles will be a small percent of the outstanding fleet, but all the better to make sure the program puts US consumers and the auto industry on a path to producing safe, fuel efficient vehicles well into the future, and without further incentives. (One could argue the one year duration of the program is too short as well, since charting a new path will surely take longer). Practically giving away $3,500 - $4,500 for modest gains in car efficiency and what would be difficult to even measure in trucks is simply unacceptable. We have a very unique opportunity right now to:

  1. Set the course for a far more fuel efficient vehicle fleet, from an average of 22 MPG now to well over 30 MPG in the very near future, and
  2. Provide much needed financial stimulus to the American economy, but in a way that results in the foundation for a more secure future wherein we become less dependent on oil and reduce our emissions.

If fiscal stimulus is all you seek, the current bill will provide it, but little more. However if you think we can take this opportunity to provide a stimulus that is more than just consumptive spending – something that might actually set a viable course for the American transportation fleet in the future – then we need to ask for much more of our elected officials. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to choose a new path. Let’s take it.

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posted by Jamie Lang at 1:04 PM 0 comments

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Cash for Clunkers Measure Faces Resistance in Senate

The House version of 'Cash for Clunkers' has passed into the Senate, where it faces competition from a similar proposal, and must overcome resistance to what some view as lenient voucher qualification standards.

Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) raised concerns about the House bill's provisions, classifying it as a continued bailout for the auto industry.

The current Senate proposal requires more stringent mileage targets to qualify for vouchers, and supporters state that it offers greater efficiency gains and energy savings than the House version.

To read more, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 12:02 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

House Passes Cash for Clunkers Bill

By a vote of 298 to 119, the full House of Representatives passed a $4 billion 'Cash for Clunkers' policy measure.

The House version would provide credits of up to $4,500 for consumers to trade-in gas guzzling vehicles for more fuel efficient cars.

The next move for the House bill is to the Senate, where it faces a different version of the proposal.

To read the full article, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 1:16 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

House Floor Vote Looms for 'Cash for Clunkers' Measure

Under continued endorsement from President Barack Obama, the House is scheduled for a floor vote on its 'Cash for Clunkers' proposal today.

Two similar versions of this legislation exist in the House and Senate, and most predict that some form of compromise bill will pass Congress before fall. Debate has centered on whether the bill can provide incentives and stimulus for carmakers while also raising the average mileage performance of America's fleet.

To read the full Associated Press report, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 10:12 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 8, 2009

Offshore Drilling May Return to Senate Energy Debate

The New York Times - Debate over a proposed oil and gas title aimed at expanding domestic energy production opens the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee session today.

Notably, the proposal would allow for expanding leasing for oil and gas exploration in the US, and streamline permitting procedures for offshore drilling.

The debates are part of the Committee's continued mark-ups on a broad energy bill.

Today marks the first day lawmakers will be able to view the full proposed list of amendments to the bill.

To access the article, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 11:08 AM 0 comments

Friday, June 5, 2009

Renewable Projects Receive Boost from USDA

As many renewable and alternative energy projects falter due to the constrained economy and cuts in federal funding, a new US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program may aid green energy sector growth.

The USDA announced it is accepting applications for grants and loan guarantees for farmers and rural small businesses. These grants are to install renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency developments and conduct feasibility studies. The funds are directed through Rural Development's Rural Energy for American Program. The maximum grant for renewable energy systems is 25% of eligible project costs.

Expected project enrollments include large and small wind turbines, grain dryers, geothermal systems, energy efficient refrigerators or freezers and methane digesters.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:34 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Cash For Clunkers Debate Heats Up in Senate, Industry

Two versions of Cash for Clunkers proposals are under heated consideration in the Senate, and could be potentially packaged for a final vote with fast-track anti-tobacco legislation.

Cash for Clunkers, the legislative program encouraging the trade-in of "gas guzzler" vehicles for higher mileage autos, has experienced a whirlwind of activity in the Senate over the past few days. The two Senate versions currently under consideration differ in their stringency toward acheiving environmental goals. While Senator Diane Feinstein's (D-CA) original version, S. 247, boasts strict definitions of guzzlers and higher mileage vehicles, Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow introduced S. 1135, which allows greater leniency in standards in orer to help stimulate the auto industry.

To pass, the measure will require 60 votes. If neither program can muster that many votes, emphasis may be placed on packaging the proposal with cap and trade legislation.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 10:43 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Unpredicted Drop in US Demand for Gasoline

Bloomberg - On the heels of a seven month peak in oil prices, news of burgeoning inventories and an unexpected drop in demand pushed the cost of oil back down today.

Especially noteworthy was the major decline in US demand for gasoline. Demand fell 900,000 barrels to 17.7 million barrels a day last week, the biggest decrease since January 9. Gasoline consumption slipped 518,000 barrels to 9.02 million, the biggest decline since January 2005.

“It was surprising to see gasoline demand drop, because of the Memorial Day holiday,” said Mike Zarembski, senior commodity analyst at OptionsXpress Holdings Inc. in Chicago. “It’s probably a sign that consumers are cutting back on driving because of the run-up in retail prices.”

The peak U.S. gasoline demand period traditionally lasts from late May’s Memorial Day holiday until Labor Day in early September, as Americans take to the highways for vacations.

To read the full article, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 1:21 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

US Climate Chief Pledges Emission Cuts, Help for Poor

In an interview with BBC, Todd Stern, the U.S. Chief Climate Negotiator, stated that the U.S. is on a path to equal emissions cuts inacted by the EU, as well as help fund emission cuts in poorer nations.

To aid developing countries, Stern said clauses on emissions trading in the Waxman-Markey Bill being debated by the US Congress would provide $15-$20bn a year in allowances annually to poor nations, based on a carbon price of $15-$20 a tonne.

To read the full interview, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:32 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 1, 2009

Debate Resumes Over Waxman-Markey Climate Bill

As Congress returns to session, an intensified debate will center on the proposals of landmark climate and energy legislation in the House. Central to this proposed policy are Obama administration and Democratic proposals to introduce a major cap-and-trade system aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

To offer a counterpoint to the debate, we are posting a link to a Washington Post article, which discusses some of the possible negative points of the Waxman-Markey bill.

To access the article, click here.

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posted by Amanda Voss at 9:09 AM 0 comments

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