Energy Bill Supporting the Development of Renewable Energy Closer to Passing
House Democrats have apparently attained a contract on a sweeping energy bill that will account for 15 percent of the country’s power generating from renewable sources by 2020. A report in the New York Times has recently explained as to how the agreement will also involve a five percent energy efficiency aim, efficiently creating 20 percent of the country’s energy provided by renewable resources in 2020. It is being reported that a bill could be prepared to be voted on in the House Energy and Commerce Committee by the end of next week, though Republicans are apparently looking for some changes to the bill and it remains to be seen if the whole committee of Democrats will sign on to the contract.
One persistent point of assertion amongst the two parties is said to emphasize on the quantity of clean coal and nuclear power that will be taken into consideration to be renewable energy under the legislation. Democrats would be more tilted to support a final bill placing a tremendous focus on solar energy and wind power.
There has also been disagreement on pollution permits involved in the bill, especially from lawmakers in states with powerful coal and manufacturing industries.
The development of renewable energy and energy efficiency marks “a new era of energy exploration” in the United States, according to President Barack Obama.
Renewable energy accounted for more than 10 percent of the domestically-produced energy used in the United States in the first half of 2008. U.S. wind power installed capacity now exceeds 25,176 MW which is enough to serve 7.0 million average households and wind turbines could more than meet U.S. electricity needs. In a joint address to the Congress on February 24, 2009, President Obama called for doubling renewable energy within the next three years. This can only be accomplished by increasing wind power. Texas is firmly established as the leader in wind power development, followed by Iowa and California. DOE has said wind power could generate 20% of US electricity by 2030.
Several solar thermal power stations, including the new 64 MW Nevada Solar One, have also been built. The largest of these solar thermal power stations is the SEGS group of plants in the Mojave Desert with a total generating capacity of 354 MW, making the system the largest solar plant of any kind in the world. The largest solar photovoltaic plant in the U.S. is the 14 MW Nellis Solar Power Plant, located near Las Vegas, Nevada, which is expected to produce more than 30 million kWh/year for Nellis Air Force Base.
In terms of renewable fuels for transportation, most cars on the road today in the U.S. can run on blends of up to 10% ethanol fuel, and motor vehicle manufacturers already produce vehicles designed to run on much higher ethanol blends.
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