This is not a joke. In an energy policy debate on Capitol Hill this week Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) wanted to introduce an amendment that would require 15 percent of electricity generated in the US to come from renewable sources by 2020. This was contested by Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) who offered an alternative amendment that includes coal and nuclear as clean energy (As a "The Simpsons" fan, I can't but think that Mr. Burns would be delighted with this).
The proposed RPS (or Renewable Electricity Standard) would become part of the amendment to bill S.1419, The Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007, which Bingaman, who is chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, co-authored with Domenici. This legislation is intended to serve as the benchmark for national energy diversification and for boosting domestic biofuels production.
The opposition to this legislation comes not only from the oil-lobbyists but from the utility industry as well, which would have to invest in renewables to reach their quotas, at consumers' cost.
A national RPS has been proposed 17 times since 1996, although never reaching national level. Currently, 23 states already have individual RPS legislation.
[Source: Renewable Energy]
The proposed RPS (or Renewable Electricity Standard) would become part of the amendment to bill S.1419, The Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007, which Bingaman, who is chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, co-authored with Domenici. This legislation is intended to serve as the benchmark for national energy diversification and for boosting domestic biofuels production.
The opposition to this legislation comes not only from the oil-lobbyists but from the utility industry as well, which would have to invest in renewables to reach their quotas, at consumers' cost.
A national RPS has been proposed 17 times since 1996, although never reaching national level. Currently, 23 states already have individual RPS legislation.
[Source: Renewable Energy]
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