“The U.S. wind energy industry applauds the White House and the Senators for recognizing the urgent need for energy legislation. Critical to the success of any such bill will be strong provisions to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency, a goal that is supported by the vast majority of Americans. Americans recognize that wind, other forms of renewable energy, and energy efficiency mean new manufacturing jobs, stronger national security, and more clean, affordable energy for our country.”
AWEA is part of a coalition of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and biofuels industries calling for legislation that would include:
* A strong Renewable Electricity Standard (RES)
* Robust and predictable tax and other financial incentives for projects and manufacturing;
* Energy efficiency codes and standards including an energy efficiency resource standard (EERS)
* Renewable energy infrastructure provisions.
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This coalition sent a letter to the President and the Senators in advance of the originally scheduled meeting last week.
New Energy Coalition Calls for Passage of Clean Energy Bill
Let America’s Energy Future Start Today
On the heels of President Obama’s June 15 speech calling for clean energy legislation, a new coalition of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and biofuels organizations today called on the U.S. Senate to quickly pass comprehensive energy legislation that will create millions of American jobs and decrease our reliance on foreign supplies of fossil fuels by using our own clean and abundant resources.
The letter, copied below, was sent to all members of the Senate today as a followup to the President’s call to action on energy. It also comes in advance of the Senate Democrats’ scheduled Thursday meeting, where clean energy legislation is expected to be a focus.
The coalition letter urges the Senate to move quickly with legislation promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy and biofuels. The coalition-backed policies will add millions of new, American jobs, protect our environment, and make the United States more energy independent and secure.
The members of the coalition include: the Alliance to Save Energy, the American Wind Energy Association, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, the Biomass Power Association, Growth Energy, the Energy Recovery Council, the Geothermal Energy Association, the National Hydropower Association, and the Solar Energy Industries Association.
The letter states:
We urge that the Senate move quickly to consider legislation promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and biofuels, along with associated manufacturing opportunities. Such a policy would add millions of American jobs and utilize our own domestic, clean, inexhaustible, and rapidly deployable resources. Acting now will stimulate construction and operations jobs as well as manufacturing and supply chains, rather than passively losing these jobs to other countries.
A series of inconsistent and unstable policies have cost America its leadership in renewable energy and energy efficiency manufacturing and production. Attracting manufacturing will take a concerted effort, as evidenced by the actions being taken by our competitors, but America’s workforce, skills, and market are well suited for global leadership if stable policies are put in place. Important programs affecting renewable energy industries, energy efficiency initiatives and biofuels programs are all due to expire this year. Many of the jobs these industries support could be lost permanently to other countries. Many renewable manufacturers have almost ceased receiving orders because of the uncertainty of a long term policy.
Enacting policy now is urgent. Ensuring steady growth of the industries that will solve our climate, water, and waste challenges will be a critical way to address not only near-term employment challenges but our long-term environmental and energy security goals. Renewable energy, energy efficiency, and biofuels can make a significant down payment on carbon pollution targets. These sources are rapidly deployable today, immediately producing jobs, energy security, and environmental benefits.
The time has come for Congress to enact legislation providing long-term support for energy efficiency, renewable energy and biofuels. It is essential for American jobs, our national security, and the environment.
About ASE
The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, the economy, and national security.
About AWEA
AWEA is the national trade association of America’s wind industry, with more than 2,500 member companies, including global leaders in wind power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and service suppliers, and the world’s largest wind power trade show. AWEA is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger America. Look up information on wind energy at the AWEA Web site. Find insight on industry issues at AWEA’s blog Into the Wind. Join AWEA on Facebook. Follow AWEA on Twitter.
About the BSCE
The Business Council for Sustainable Energy is an industry coalition that includes businesses and trade associations representing a suite of currently available technology options for strengthening domestic energy security while also reducing emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. These technologies include: advanced batteries, biomass, biogas, fuel cells, geothermal, hydropower (including conventional and new waterpower resources such as ocean, tidal and in stream hydrokinetic), solar (including solar energy equipment such as solar hot water heating and solar light pipe technology), wind power, natural gas, and supply-side and demand-side energy efficiency.
About BPA
The Biomass Power Association is the nation’s leading organization working to increase the use of clean, renewable biomass power and create new jobs and opportunities in the biomass industry. BPA represents over 100 biomass power facilities in 20 different states. As policymakers at every level explore ways to lower greenhouse gases and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, BPA is the leading advocate at the state and federal level for a strong commitment to clean, renewable biomass energy. Members include local owners and operators of existing biomass facilities, suppliers, plant developers and others all across the U.S. For more information please visit www.BiomassPowerAssociation.com.
About GEA
The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) is a trade association composed of U.S. companies who support the expanded use of geothermal energy and are developing geothermal Resources worldwide for electrical power generation and direct-heat uses. GEA advocates for public policies that will promote the development and utilization of geothermal Resources, provides a forum for the industry to discuss issues and problems, encourages research and development to improve geothermal technologies, presents industry views to governmental organizations, provides assistance for the export of geothermal goods and services, compiles statistical data about the geothermal industry, and conducts education and outreach projects. For more information, please visit www.geo-energy.org.
About the ERC
The Energy Recovery Council is the national trade association representing the companies and municipalities that provide waste-to-energy services in the United States. Waste-to-energy facilities produce clean, renewable energy through the combustion of municipal solid waste in specially designed power plants equipped with the most modern pollution control equipment.
About Growth Energy
Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth Energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home.
About NHA
The National Hydropower Association (NHA) is a nonprofit national association dedicated exclusively to advancing the interests of the hydropower industry, including new waterpower technologies – conduit power, and ocean, tidal and instream hydrokinetics. It seeks to secure hydropower’s place as a climate-friendly, renewable and reliable energy source that serves national environmental and energy policy objectives. www.hydro.org.
About SEIA
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy.
