energy
From humble beginnings to game changing technology
Friday, March 12th, 2010
When considering the nation’s daunting energy challenges, it’s always a good idea to keep in mind the power of innovation. This applies to game-changing technologies as well as new and improved ways of working in established industries: it’s both making fuel out of cow manure, and advancing deepwater drilling technology to unlock oil that was once considered unreachable.
Qteros, a small company based in Marlboro, Massachusetts, is just one of many examples of this sort of innovation. Today, the company is building a power plant that will create ethanol in a revolutionary, and highly efficient way. Not long ago, Qteros was nothing more than a lone microbe living in the ground of western Massachusetts, awaiting discovery.
That discovery was made by a local professor who was studying the biodiversity in the region, removing dirt from the forest floor, taking it to a lab and isolating its different components. One of those compounds, which was later named the “Q-Microbe,” showed an uncanny ability to digest plant matter and yield ethanol. Scientists who worked with this microbe described it as something of a plant eater.
Since cellulose – the stuff that plants are made of – is notoriously hard to break down, it has traditionally been difficult to produce ethanol in a cost-effective way. But the highly efficient way this Q-Microbe works creates new possibilities for making large volumes of ethanol from all sorts of plant matter, not just corn.
The company, in other words, has the power to upset the existing economics of ethanol production in a way that could produce a lot more for a lot less money. The fact that it’s based on a naturally occurring compound, offers a sense of all of the other potentially transformative substances that already exist in nature.
A final twist: This discovery that it is possible to break down plant cellulose more efficiently has set off a search for other so-called plant eaters. One of the recent contenders to be studied is the termite, which for all the destruction it leaves in its path seems to have a powerful bacteria in its gut that lets it digest wood. Talk about thinking outside of the box: How about eating your way out of the box?
We’ll be highlighting different examples of innovation in the coming weeks. Please be sure to tell us your thoughts on the most innovative moves in energy.
Tags: alternatives, American energy, balanced energy, cow manure, domestic energy, drilling, energy, innovation, q-microbe, qteros, termite
Posted in CEABlog | No Comments »
Lawmakers voice concern over Ocean Policy Task Force
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Word seems to be getting out about President Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force and the need for all groups that use the oceans to be included in the discussion. Some 69 members of the House of Representatives have sent a letter to the task force, expressing concern that it could set in place new policies that would block offshore oil development and impose other restrictions that could cost American jobs.
As Doc Hastings, the representative from Washington state put it, “We can protect our oceans without inflicting more economic damage in the middle of a serious recession.”
CEA, which has in the past successfully organized letter-writing campaigns to the Interior Department over contested offshore drilling leases, more recently rallied our members and supporters to weigh in on the Ocean Policy Task Force, and its initial report that proposed a new system of governance of the country’s Great Lakes and coastal areas.
It seems a lot of people agree that this is a very complex and sensitive matter that deserves the input of many parties before any new policy is established.
In recent months CEA has been repeatedly pleased, not just by our members’ efforts to engage in this challenging grassroots work, but also in the results that we’ve achieved. Last month, our letter writers arguing in favor of responsible offshore drilling, out-wrote the other side.
What’s gratifying about the strong response to the Ocean Policy Task Force is that it is so far-reaching. Objections have poured in from places ranging from San Francisco to Louisiana, and representing industries from oil to wind power to fishing. As our own blog-bot (see blog from October 15) said, we all want to do what’s right to protect the oceans. But clearly a lot of people are concerned about doing the right thing in the right way. Keep up the good work!
Tags: CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, energy, Obama, oceans policy task force
Posted in CEABlog | No Comments »
Two ways of reducing the massive trade deficit
Monday, October 19th, 2009
If you want to make a dent in the U.S. trade deficit, the multi-billion dollar amount by which imports exceed exports, you could contract the whole national economy: Recessions, for all the pain they cause, can help bring trade deficits in balance by reducing the amount of foreign goods purchased.
Or, you could make a concerted effort to reduce oil imports, a major component of the trade deficit in good times and bad. The U.S. trade deficit, now more than $30 billion, is not necessarily the biggest problem associated with our dependence on foreign oil. Nor is it the first thing that strapped consumers think of when they think about all the ways this prolonged economic downturn has hurt their own finances. But on a macro level, the gaping trade deficit is one more way that those massive volumes of imports hurt our economy.
The country recently got a glimpse of how reducing one single component of the trade deficit – oil – could make a huge difference in the overall total. The Commerce Department reported an unexpected $3.5 billion decline in the trade deficit in August, reflecting … drum roll … a big drop in demand for foreign oil.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that demand didn’t drop because of a more robust domestic energy supply, but only because, after 21 months of recession, consumer confidence and overall spending power has been battered. People are buying less and traveling less and businesses have less freight to ship.
Shortly after the trade deficit posted such a large drop, the Dow Jones Industrial Average passed 10,000, crude oil prices moved above $75 a barrel and nationwide unemployment moved within spitting distance of 10%: A mixed bag of economic indicators, to say the least.
The recession is clearly not over for many Americans, but as more and more signs of a nascent recovery start to emerge, the country finds itself back at the same crossroad it has visited so many times in the past, with yet another opportunity to make meaningful changes in broad energy policy. It shouldn’t have to take the worst economic downturn since the great recession to achieve a big drop in oil imports. Hopefully next time, it won’t.
Tags: CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, energy, exports, imports, recessions, trade deficit
Posted in CEABlog | No Comments »
Don’t wait! Your help is needed on a new campaign!
Friday, October 9th, 2009
The battle to achieve a balanced energy policy for the U.S. recently got a lot more complicated. Thus far, much of the debate over where we can drill for oil has focused on the country’s coastal waters. But in light of a June 12 memorandum from President Obama establishing an Ocean Policy Task Force, it appears that all the world’s waters will come under closer scrutiny.
In a letter explaining the formation of this new task force, President Obama says we have a stewardship responsibility to maintain healthy oceans, coasts and Great Lakes, and to protect them from the environmental challenges they face.
CEA, of course, supports this goal of developing policies that help the world’s oceans thrive. But we are concerned by the urgency with which the task force was instructed to, essentially, fix all the ills of the world’s oceans – especially considering this matter is barely on the public’s radar screen.
Recently this new task force produced its first interim report, proposing policies that could significantly impact all sorts of activity, including oil exploration and production and possibly bar them.
Now, this new Ocean Policy Task Force is weighing a multitude of issues, not just oil, and certainly not just offshore drilling. But with serious talk so early in this process of setting up a governance system with little to no input from commercial industry, there is a big danger the American energy industry could emerge as one of the big losers of any new ocean policies. This system of ocean governance the task force has drafted could, in fact, limit the country’s ability to develop its own offshore energy, including oil, natural gas, and renewable energy.
Recently, CEA successfully organized a massive letter writing campaign in support of responsible drilling in our coastal waters. Today, we’re asking all our members and supporters once again to start writing. The public comment period on the recommendations outlined in the task force’s interim report closes on October 17.
Like we said earlier, topics such as ocean governance and ocean ecology are as vast as the ocean itself. Likewise, the formation of a system that will enable our oceans, our people and our industries to all thrive is a lot more complicated than we can cover in this post. Check this blog for future updates and details on the Ocean Policy Task Force’s proposals, and all the different groups of people and business who might be impacted.
Our parting message for the moment, though, is Don’t Wait. Make sure your voice is heard now. A draft letter to the U.S. Council on Environmental Quality is available on our web site, along with the mailing address and other contact information. You can also submit your comments and concerns electronically here.
Remind our policy makers about all the ways that a robust domestic energy industry supports the country. And remember that your voices are heard.
Tags: balanced energy policy, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, domestic energy, energy, gas, ocs, offshore, oil
Posted in CEABlog | No Comments »
CEA Marks One-Year Anniversary of Lifting of Offshore Energy Exploration Ban
Thursday, October 1st, 2009
WASHINGTON – October 1, 2009 One year ago today, a 27-year old federal ban on offshore energy exploration and production in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans was formally retired following an extraordinary outpouring of public support for expanded domestic energy production and relief from sky-high fuel prices. But while there is reason to celebrate the end of a policy that kept billions of barrels of American oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas under lock-and-key, it is clear that much more must be done to bring those resources to American consumers, which will create thousands of new jobs and help end our dangerous dependency on foreign energy.
Once the outer continental shelf (OCS) moratorium expired, the U.S. Interior Department began developing a new, significantly expanded offshore leasing program – with strong public support from the American people. In commemoration of the first anniversary of the lifting of the OCS moratorium, and in support of a new, robust 5-year plan, Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) president David Holt issued the following statement:
“The overwhelming public support for a new and expanded OCS leasing program – as shown by the more than 350,000 comments supporting an expanded OCS program that have been delivered to the Interior Department over the last eight months – demonstrates that the American people have not forgotten the record energy price spikes of 2008 and remain committed to responsible domestic energy production. Opening new offshore areas for energy exploration and production will create thousands of new jobs, provide substantial benefits for the American economy and strengthen our national energy security.”
“On behalf of the 200,000 grassroots members and 125 affiliates of Consumer Energy Alliance, I am calling on Secretary Salazar to listen to the hundreds of thousands of American citizens that have asked for expanded offshore access and to request that he move forward as expeditiously as possible with an expanded OCS leasing program for 2010-2015. A clear majority of the American public has spoken on this issue in support of a new, expanded program.”
CEA has participated in more than 100 events over the past three months calling for increased American energy production – and delivered approximately 150,000 comments last month to Interior Secretary Salazar supporting a new OCS leasing program.
Over the past several years, public comments to the Interior Department have overwhelmingly favored increased offshore energy production. During the 2006 period, 72 percent of comments received during four separate comment periods favored increased energy production offshore. In 2008, 53 percent backed domestic OCS energy exploration. And, although MMS has yet to release any numbers publicly, early indications are that favorable comments will once again lead groups who are opposed to sensible offshore development by a sizeable margin. American consumers once again voiced clear support for increased energy production.
NOTE: Bloomberg reported in April that:
“The U.S. may have as many as 115 billion barrels of ‘technically recoverable’ oil in federal waters, a report today from the Interior Department found. The report, prepared by Interior’s Minerals Management Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, also said the Outer Continental Shelf contains as much as 565 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and that the Pacific and Atlantic coasts hold more than 1,900 gigawatts of potential wind energy.”
READ MORE:
North Carolina Offshore Energy Production Study: Click HERE.
South Carolina Offshore Energy Production Study: Click HERE.
Tags: CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, energy, exploration, federal ban, Interior, MMS, moratorium, ocs, offshore
Posted in CEA News | No Comments »
CEA October 2009 Newsletter
Friday, September 25th, 2009
CEA Newsletter
Issue 31
Message from CEA President David Holt
September 21st marked the close of a nationwide public comment period by the Federal Government that allowed Americans to have their voices heard in the vital debate regarding development of U.S. offshore resources, including oil, natural gas and wind projects.
Though naysayers have received prominent placement in recent media reports, the real winners here are the overwhelming numbers of Americans who stood tall in favor of reasonable and responsible development of America’s offshore areas.
More than 360,000 positive comments were received by the government supporting a new 5-Year Plan for the development of resources off of America’s coastlines. This number, which accounts for more than 60 percent of the total comments received, sends a strong message to elected officials in Washington: Americans want more American energy.
Throughout the comment period, CEA stood strong in our support of offshore oil & gas drilling, as well as offshore alternative energy development. Working with our valued affiliates and individual consumers like you, CEA implemented a major campaign to get the word out about the importance of this effort and encourage Americans to comment and contribute to the discussion.
The tremendous results in favor of offshore development speak volumes. Washington has heard what you have to say. Your voice has made a difference in shaping American energy policy and will assist in leading the United States on a path of domestic energy development that will be good for the economy, Americans and the country.
CEA recognizes your hard work and we thank you for being part of our efforts to empower America! We consider you an essential part of our alliance and look forward to continuing to work with you to do what’s right for America and its citizens.
Yet, the work is not over. As we move forward from this great victory, CEA remains dedicated to working toward a national energy policy that fully leverages America’s abundant energy resources into new jobs, revenue and security for American energy consumers.
As part of this effort, please take part in our nationwide educational campaign – Secure Our Fuels, which highlights the damaging economic effects associated with the national Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) currently being considered by Congress. For more information on the Secure Our Fuels campaign, click here.
Again, thank you and congratulations! With your help, the tides are turning.
David Holt
President
Help Defeat Efforts to Ban North American Energy and Increase Prices at the Pump!
The Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is being sold to the American public as a way to blend transportation fuels with low-carbon alternatives so that tailpipe CO2 emissions can be reduced. But the fact is that affordable and reliable lower-carbon fuel options are not yet available. As a result, an LCFS simply will increase the cost of diesel fuel and gasoline and will place certain domestic supplies of transportation fuels off limits. Increasing the cost of transportation fuel and U.S. dependence upon foreign sources of petroleum is simply unsound energy policy.
Join our effort to defeat these measures, which would put an economic stranglehold on America and leave U.S. consumers stuck with higher prices at the pump. Send in your comments today!
Support Development of Alaska’s Offshore Oil & Gas Resources!
At a time when the American public is crying out for more domestic energy, Alaska has enormous untapped oil and gas potential, especially in its offshore areas. The waters off Alaska’s coasts hold about 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, according to federal government estimates.
To begin producing energy from these resource basins, the federal government must take action. Join us in our effort as we build public support for offshore minerals exploration and development in Alaska. Send in your comments today!
CEA Welcomes New Affiliate Members
CEA is proud to announce the addition of the many new affiliate members who have joined our alliance in recent months: Amway, Applied Fiber Manufacturing, LLC, EarthQuest Institute, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Mississippi, The Fertilizer Institute, New England Fuel Institute and Santa Barbara County Energy Coalition. For a complete list of CEA’s valued affiliates, click here.
CEA Blog: Silent majorities and dressing for success
Check out CEA’s recent blog entry about the overwhelming amount of public support for developing America’s offshore energy resources, recently brought to light by the federal government’s collection of public comments on the issue. Join the conversation at CEA’s website. Read blog…
Consumer Corner: Tell Us How Energy Affects YOU!
Energy issues are important to all Americans – and they should be – because they affect all aspects of everyday life, including your businesses, your household costs and your free-time expenditures!
When you drive your kids to school in the morning or board an airplane for a vacation flight, you are affected by the energy policies that government officials in Washington put in place. Access to American energy resources affects your weekly grocery bill, how much you pay at the gas pump, your heating and cooling costs, the business decisions you make – every part of your life!
CEA wants to know your thoughts about how energy affects you. Share your energy story with CEA by sending an e-mail to info@consumerenergyalliance.org. We want to hear from YOU!
Wind Energy Could Cut Emissions in China By 30 Percent, Study Asserts
Switching to wind power for electricity needs could cut China’s emissions by 30 percent over the next 20 years, according to a recent study. Read article…
Venezuela and Russia Develop As “Comrades-In-Arms-And-Oil”
Ties between Russia and Venezuela are steadily growing stronger with increased economic development schemes, including energy and weaponry deals, between the two countries. Read article…
Affiliate Spotlight: Agriculture Energy Alliance
As farmers and agribusinesses face a looming crisis because of public policies that create demand for natural gas while restricting access to supply sources, the Agriculture Energy Alliance, which represents more than 100 growers and agriculture-related business, works to inform and educate Congress, the Administration and state-elected officials about the energy challenges facing the agricultural sector.
“The U.S. farm sector is being weakened by constraints on onshore and offshore natural gas development, even as global demand for food is growing every year,” says Coordinator for the Agriculture Energy Alliance Rosemary O’Brien, who also serves as Vice President of Public Affairs at CF Industries.
To address these concerns, AEA encourages elected and appointed officials to continue the good work begun in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and take further measures to reduce natural gas demand and increase natural gas supply.
“By increasing domestic natural gas production, we increase our food security,” explains O’Brien.
Ensuring the stable development of American natural gas resources is essential to maintaining a successful agricultural economy, according to O’Brien, because the farm sector depends on significant use of natural gas for food processing, irrigation, crop drying, heating farm buildings and homes, crop protection chemicals and nitrogen fertilizer production.
“With wise development and utilization of our own national energy resources, Congress can help ensure that farming remains an economically viable occupation,” she emphasizes.
As a member of Consumer Energy Alliance, AEA’s goal is to join with other like-minded groups to work on energy policy, specifically access to U.S. offshore production.
“CEA presented opportunities to work with a larger coalition and to enhance our policy goals in a very positive way,” O’Brien notes. “We have been excited to work with CEA since their leadership has shown creativity, enthusiasm and focus on complex energy policy issues.
“CEA is the type of group AEA likes to associate itself with as perseverance and working on shared goals is the only way to accomplish results. In short, CEA is solution-oriented. We work well with CEA, and we appreciate the quality of advice and input we receive from them and their collaborative efforts on behalf of their coalition.”
For more information on the Agriculture Energy Alliance, visit www.agenergyalliance.com.
Affiliate News: National Oilheat Summit Sees Bright Future For Industry
NEFI joined nearly every national, regional and state oilheat industry association, along with various industry leaders, for a national oilheat industry policy summit in Baltimore, MD on Tuesday, September 15th. The big news coming out of the summit – these various oilheat stakeholders are joining together to pursue a brave new future for the industry and its consumers.
Those attending the summit overwhelmingly approved a statement encouraging Congress and appropriate state bodies to help the industry move towards a “leaner, greener and cleaner” new product through adoption of an ultra low sulfur standard and expanded use of bio components. The group also embraced solar technology as a key component of the overall industry effort to lower the carbon intensity of heating oil applications.
The summit also heard many presentations on the benefits of pursuing a lower sulfur bio-blended product, supplemented with solar technology, as well as how best to “tell the story” nationwide. “It is an exciting time for the industry,” said Peter Carini (NEFI-member) of Champion Energy, New York, which was echoed by Robert Boltz of Pennsylvania, NEFI member Jim Townsend of Townsend Oil, and Don Allen of E.T. Lawson of Virginia, the moderator for the summit. He added: “As an industry, we face many challenges, but most of them can be met if we embrace this exciting opportunity to create a new product that will be environmentally responsible and competitive, ensuring that our industry is part of the solution to the energy, security and climate change challenges that face our Nation.”
Over 80 industry representatives participated in the Summit.
Affiliate News: NSBA Report Shows On-Bill Financing Improves Energy Efficiency
On September 16, 2009, the National Small Business Association released a report showing that small business collectively could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 259 million tons each year if they improved their energy efficiency by just 25 percent. The report, “On-Bill Financing: Helping Small Business Reduce Emissions and Energy Use While Improving Profitability,” goes on to highlight the significant savings small businesses stand to achieve through on-bill financing.
“This report obliterates that old paradigm that environmental conservation is anathema to economic growth,” said NSBA President Todd McCracken. “Quite simply, small businesses can increase their profitability while reducing their carbon footprint.”
On-bill financing is a mechanism that enables small businesses to work with their utility company to improve their energy efficiency. In practice, a local utility company identifies a small business with potential savings and evaluates their energy use and the company’s financial stability. The utility company then extends a low- or no-interest loan to the small business to make energy-efficient upgrades. The small-business owner repays the loan by continuing to pay the average monthly bill and any money paid in excess of what their actual costs are will go directly to pay down the loan.
Currently implemented in several states, on-bill financing programs have made thousands of loans to small businesses with unparalleled success. According to the report, energy-efficiency programs such as on-bill financing can help the average small business save $4,932—and oftentimes more—every year on its energy bills. The report also makes recommendations on how the federal government can help facilitate additional on-bill financing programs.
“The number one reason small-business owners cite for their inability to make their firms more energy efficient is cash-flow,” stated Keith Ashmus, NSBA chair and co-founding partner at Frantz Ward LLP, Cleveland, Ohio. “Programs such as on-bill financing can eliminate this very significant barrier many small businesses simply can’t overcome.”
NSBA has long held the belief that energy efficiency and entrepreneurial growth can and do go hand-in-hand. The current state of the U.S. economy makes it absolutely crucial to have government policies that foster, not hinder, entrepreneurial growth. With 29.6 million small firms—comprising 99.7 percent of all U.S. employer firms—small businesses stand to make significant, positive and lasting improvements to both the economy and the environment.
This report was sponsored by NSBA with funding from the Bipartisan Policy Center. Please click here to access the full report.
Since 1937, NSBA has advocated on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. A staunchly nonpartisan organization, NSBA reaches more than 150,000 small businesses nationwide and is proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. For more information, please visit www.nsba.biz
Tags: 5-Year plan, Agriculture Energy Alliance, American energy, CEA, CEA Monthly, CEABlog, Consumer Energy Alliance, David Holt, energy, gasoline, Minerals Management Service, MMS, natural gas, newsletter, ocs, October 2009, offshore, oil, Outer Continental Shelf, resource development, Russia, Venezuela, wind
Posted in CEA News | 2 Comments »
Silent majorities and dressing for success
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
You might have seen some news coverage lately about protesters dressed in cute salmon costumes and even cuter polar bear costumes, who delivered with much ceremony, bags of letters to the Interior Department in Washington D.C. that argued against new offshore drilling in the U.S. By the protesters’ own count, 250,000 letters, postcards, and whatnot were delivered.
There was another story that went largely unreported: The Interior Department received an even larger number of letters supporting responsible exploration and production. For the record, more than 360,000 Americans have sent letters of the pro-responsible drilling variety to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar over the past six months. To date, these letters account for more than 60 percent of the comments received by Interior.
That’s a significant margin, and all the more so when you consider the nature of the debate. Let’s face it: In the court of public opinion, oil often faces an uphill battle. It’s easy to call yourself an environmentalist and jump on an anti-oil bandwagon without really knowing all the facts. It can take more time and work to consider the country’s significant energy needs and develop an informed stance on how we meet them.
So first of all, Thank You! For months, CEA has been working on this blog and elsewhere to organize support for responsible offshore drilling. The matter has been in legal limbo since earlier this year, when lawmakers enacted a series of barriers that effectively reversed President Bush’s move to lift an 18-year ban on offshore drilling on most of the country’s outer continental shelf.
In recent months, supporters of producing oil domestically and reducing the country’s dependence on foreign oil have won a few battles, but a larger war on this matter wages. CEA is heartened by the volume of letters sent in support of our position. It underscores not just that there is a silent majority out there, but that a lot of people care deeply about energy independence.
So then, why is it that majority is so often a silent one to the media? Because polar bears do have a lot of appeal. No matter if polar bears are not really at the core of this debate. No matter if they were just polar bear costumes. No matter if those protesters enjoying an early Halloween drove all the way to Washington in cars that run on oil. They play well on TV.
You can entertain ways that our side might dress for comparable success, or comparable media attention, but we haven’t come up with anything really catchy yet. Perhaps this is because the image of responsible oil production and energy independence is really just the image of everyday people going about their business with a little more ease and a little less strain. It’s the image of the family that is not forced to cut back on food to pay for heating oil, of the worker who doesn’t pay excessive amounts of his paycheck on his commute, of the trucker who isn’t taken into the red by filling up at the pump.
If any readers out there can think of an image that might overshadow the salmon costume in Washington, please let us know. Until then, we hope you’ll continue the quiet battle for the attention of our lawmakers. Know that your voices are being heard, even if your attire goes unnoticed.
Tags: CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, Consumer Energy Alliance, Consumer Energy Issues, Department of the Interior, energy, energy policy, energy prices, energy security, energy supply, gas, Obama, ocs, offshore, oil, Secretary Salazar
Posted in CEABlog | 2 Comments »
Saving energy in mid-air
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
The term “as the crow flies” is often used to explain why the actual distance between two spots is shorter than the driving distance. You might think that, unlike cars, airplanes do fly in the same way crows fly, taking the most direct route between Point A and Point B, but it turns out that they don’t. Outdated air traffic control technology doing its best to maintain order in crowded skies means that planes take quite circuitous routes, particularly during takeoff and landing, resulting in widespread delays, noise pollution and greater fuel emissions.
Now that you know this problem exists (it can be hard to follow the path you’re taking through cloud cover), know that a solution is on the way. The federal government has committed $865 million toward a Next Generation Air Transportation System and different companies are developing advanced GPS technologies that would make flight navigation a lot more efficient.
Most commercial planes today must be taken through a complex, sort of stair step landing process, in which they reduce their altitude in stages: slowing down and descending a bit and then accelerating again to maintain the new altitude before air traffic control guides them through another “step” down. That’s what pilots are describing when they say they are beginning their “initial descent.” Passengers may notice this choppy slow down/speed up cycle that begins long before touchdown. It’s a time-consuming and fuel-consuming system and when the air space is really congested, planes are often directed significantly off course as they line up for their turn at this elaborate descent to the runway.
New technology made by the Kent, Washington-based Naverus, and by a subsidiary of Boeing would help flights take more direct paths by using a satellite-guided descent that smoothly takes them from cruising altitude down to the ground with a precision that air traffic control rarely achieves.
This simulated video of a flight across America offers some sense of how so-called direct flights are repeatedly subject to a change of course, but really does not capture all the waste in time and fuel that may result. A recent story on some of the new technology now being tested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport explains in more detail how flights are often taken significantly off course.
Alaska Airlines, which is already testing the new “Optimized Profile Descent” technology, estimates that it could save 2.1 million gallons of fuel per year, just on flights approaching Seattle from the west.
Factor in more airports using this technology on multiple flight paths, and the savings multiply. Thanks to both the government’s commitment and to some entrepreneurs’ ingenuity, the savings could be right on the horizon.
Tags: airlines, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, Consumer Energy Issues, emissions, energy, energy supply, fuel, gas, oil, savings
Posted in CEABlog | No Comments »
NSBA Report Shows On-Bill Financing Improves Energy Efficiency
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Washington, D.C. – September 16, 2009 The National Small Business Association today released a report showing that small business collectively could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 259 million tons each year if they improved their energy efficiency by just 25 percent. The report, “On-Bill Financing: Helping Small Business Reduce Emissions and Energy Use While Improving Profitability,” goes on to highlight the significant savings small businesses stand to achieve through on-bill financing.
“This report obliterates that old paradigm that environmental conservation is anathema to economic growth,” said NSBA President Todd McCracken. “Quite simply, small businesses can increase their profitability while reducing their carbon footprint.”
On-bill financing is a mechanism that enables small businesses to work with their utility company to improve their energy efficiency. In practice, a local utility company identifies a small business with potential savings and evaluates their energy use and the company’s financial stability. The utility company then extends a low- or no-interest loan to the small business to make energy-efficient upgrades. The small-business owner repays the loan by continuing to pay the average monthly bill and any money paid in excess of what their actual costs are will go directly to pay down the loan.
Currently implemented in several states, on-bill financing programs have made thousands of loans to small businesses with unparalleled success. According to the report, energy-efficiency programs such as on-bill financing can help the average small business save $4,932—and oftentimes more—every year on its energy bills. The report also makes recommendations on how the federal government can help facilitate additional on-bill financing programs.
“The number one reason small-business owners cite for their inability to make their firms more energy efficient is cash-flow,” stated Keith Ashmus, NSBA chair and co-founding partner at Frantz Ward LLP, Cleveland, Ohio. “Programs such as on-bill financing can eliminate this very significant barrier many small businesses simply can’t overcome.”
NSBA has long held the belief that energy efficiency and entrepreneurial growth can and do go hand-in-hand. The current state of the U.S. economy makes it absolutely crucial to have government policies that foster, not hinder, entrepreneurial growth. With 29.6 million small firms—comprising 99.7 percent of all U.S. employer firms—small businesses stand to make significant, positive and lasting improvements to both the economy and the environment.
This report was sponsored by NSBA with funding from the Bipartisan Policy Center. Please click here to access the full report.
Since 1937, NSBA has advocated on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. A staunchly nonpartisan organization, NSBA reaches more than 150,000 small businesses nationwide and is proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. For more information, please visit www.nsba.biz
Tags: energy, energy efficiency, greenhouse gas, National Small Business Association, NSBA, on-bill financing, reduce emissions, small business, Todd McCracken
Posted in Affiliate News | 2 Comments »
CEA Urges Senate to Adopt Commonsense Offshore Energy Exploration Provision
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Amendment would streamline domestic energy development, help stabilize costs for American consumers
WASHINGTON – September 22, 2009 As the US Senate considers an appropriations measure setting aside funds for the US Department of the Interior, Sens. David Vitter (La.), Jim DeMint (S.C.) and John Barrasso (Wyo.) are working to include an amendment in the bill that would streamline and advance energy development along our nation’s outer continental shelf (OCS). Consumer Energy Alliance, which has played a leading role in generating over 150,000 of the more than 350,000 favorable public comments to Secretary Ken Salazar in support of expanded offshore energy production, has urged the Senate to adopt this commonsense provision that would increase domestic energy production, helping to drive down and stabilize prices for American consumers.
CEA president David Holt issued the following statement:
“Our energy security, the price American consumers pay at the pump, and the much-needed jobs and revenues created through environmentally-sound, 21st century offshore energy development must be addressed head-on. This commonsense amendment helps do that, and it deserves strong bipartisan support in the US Senate.
“This amendment, coupled with the overwhelming support that the American people delivered to the Interior Department for expanded offshore energy production yesterday as the 5-year comment period came to an end, should continue to send a strong message to the policymakers that decisive action is needed to help meet our growing energy needs, put Americans back to work, raise revenues for the local, state and federal governments and help get the US economy rolling again.”
CEA has participated in over 100 events over past three months focused on responsibly increasing American energy production, while ensuring environmental safeguards. Early indications suggest that favorable comments to the Interior Department handily surpass those in opposition to American energy production, which would be in line with virtually all public opinion polling.
Over the past several years, public comments to the Interior Department have overwhelmingly favored increased offshore energy production. During the 2006 period, 72 percent of comments received during four separate comment periods favored increased energy production offshore. In 2008, 53 percent backed domestic OCS energy exploration. And, early indications from yesterday’s close of the public comment period, favorable comments will once again lead groups who are opposed to sensible offshore development by a sizeable margin. American consumers once again voiced clear support for increased energy production.
Tags: amendment, American energy, Barrasso, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, David Holt, DeMint, domestic, drilling, energy, gas, ocs, offshore, oil, outercontinental shelf, Salazar, senate, US Department of the Interior, Vitter
Posted in CEA News | No Comments »
CEA Praises Bipartisan, Bicameral Congressional Efforts on Expanding Domestic Offshore Energy Production
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
WASHINGTON – September 21, 2009 Following a letter from nearly 100 House Republicans, led by Reps. Doc Hastings (R-WA), Rob Bishop (R-UT), and Tom Price (R-GA), urging Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to move forward with a 5-Year offshore energy production plan that would expand safe American energy exploration, Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK), along with 15 other House Democrats, wrote the secretary recommending that his agency open the outer continental shelf (OCS) for responsible offshore energy development. Today, a bipartisan group of senators, led by Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND), penned a similar letter to Secretary Salazar.
David Holt, president of Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), a non-profit, non-partisan organization that advocates an “all of the above” approach to securing, reliable energy, issued this statement:
“Thanks to many of CEA’s thousands of grassroots supporters and a clear majority of the American public, a year ago, the federal government made positive, and long overdue, steps toward balancing the nation’s long-term energy policy through lifting decade-old bans on safe and effective offshore energy production here at home.
“CEA praises the strong bipartisan, bicameral commitment from the congressmen and senators who have taken the concerns of their constituents about affordable energy and access to American resources directly to Secretary Salazar. The groundswell of support for increased domestic energy production continues to grow, and, as an organization, we’re grateful for the steadfastness on this issues that so many members of Congress and senators continue to demonstrate.
“As the Interior Department’s public comment period on the 5-year OCS plan came to a close today, we are hopeful and encouraged that these congressional letters, as well as the hundreds of thousands of supportive comments from every day Americans, will resonate with Secretary Salazar as he and his agency move forward in crafting a blueprint for our offshore energy production goals over the next several years.
“Thousands of good-paying jobs, stable energy prices for small businesses, working-families and retirees and less dependence on unstable regions of the world to fuel our economy will result from the developing domestic oil and gas, and renewable energy offshore. At the same time, we must focus on harnessing more wind, solar, coal, hydro, nuclear, biofuels and other alternatives and renewable energy forms, while using what we have more wisely, too.”
Tags: 5-Year, American energy, bipartisan, Bishop, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, David Holt, domestic energy, Dorgan, drilling, energy, Five Year Plan, gas, Hastings, house, Hutchison, Minerals Management Service, MMS, offshore, oil, republicans, Salazar
Posted in CEA News | No Comments »
CEA: More Than 325,000 Americans Tell Secretary Salazar to “Show Us the Energy”
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Holt: “What we need now, and what these letters demand, is decisive action from this administration.”
WASHINGTON – September 22, 2009 More than 325,000 American people sent letters to Interior secretary Ken Salazar over the past six months urging his agency to expand responsible access to critical energy resources offshore, and Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) helped deliver more than 150,000 of them. As the public comment period on Interior’s Draft Proposed five-year energy plan came to a close this week, CEA president David Holt issued the following statement:
“The unified voices of Americans concerned with rising, unstable and increasingly unaffordable energy costs cannot be ignored. Thanks to the hard work of so many CEA supporters – as well as other organizations committed to advancing policies that help put our nation on a path toward energy security and affordability – Secretary Salazar will have overwhelming public support on his side if his agency and the administration decide to move forward with a commonsense plan that allows the American people to access more of the energy resources they need, demand and rightfully own.
“While the closure of this comment period marks a very early step in what is designed to be a long, deliberative process, the volume and intensity of public response on whether responsible offshore energy exploration should be part of our energy future suggests the status quo energy policies of the past will no longer be an option in the future. What we need now, and what these letters demand, is decisive action from this administration – not an effort to pocket veto these critical offshore energy resources.
“As the process of developing a forward-looking, supply-oriented five-year plan continues to move forward, CEA will remain active in leading the charge for an ‘all of the above’ approach to securing our energy future – a future that includes renewable energy, conventional energy, and a renewed focus on conservation. CEA and its broad-based membership including transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, small business, chemistry, restaurants, retirees and energy providers will continue to provide a platform for the American people to make their views and voices heard in Washington.”
NOTE: Click HERE to view CEA’s official comment letter to MMS.
Tags: 5-Year plan, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, drilling, energy, Five Year Plan, gas, Minerals Management Service, MMS, offshore, oil, Salazar
Posted in CEA News | 2 Comments »
Back to school … wear comfortable shoes
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
CEA has in the past highlighted the problem volatile fuel prices pose to people on fixed incomes, but what about those on declining incomes?
What about schools?
With cash-strapped schools around the country being forced to eliminate physical education and arts programs and cut down to the bone in core academic fields, it was only a matter of time until they turned the knife on their transportation budgets. This Michigan school is one of many around the country that is cutting back school bus service to save money. Under the new system in the Michigan town of Portage, children as young as five who do not have parents available to drive them to school and/or pick them up at the end of the day, will have to walk up to a mile to and from school. School bus transportation, in fact, is at its lowest level in more than a decade, largely because more and more school districts are looking to save money on fuel.
Now, it’s easy to dismiss this matter of school bus transportation as one of the lesser problems faced by schools which are also struggling to pay teachers decent salaries and stock basic supplies. There’s probably even a joke to be made about students getting their exercise on the way to school, now that there may no longer be physical education in school. And wasn’t trudging to school five miles in the snow at one time considered a right of passage in this country?
In all seriousness, this growing lack of transportation to school, at a time of many two-income households where neither parent is available to drive, poses a real problem for many families.
More to the point, the costs of fueling school buses is often just the tip of the iceberg for school districts that also, of course, have to heat their buildings all winter long. This 2008 story about the double-digit increases in heating costs many schools faced pointed out that budgets were so tight that 30% of schools around the country were eliminating or modifying teaching positions. And that was last year, before the worst of the recession hit.
At a time of such drastic cuts in education budgets, you have to wonder how high and unpredictable fuel prices are making a tough situation even worse.
Tags: CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, costs, education, energy, fixed income, fuel, gas, gasoline, oil, school bus
Posted in CEABlog | No Comments »
And now, a common sense tip on saving energy
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
The challenge of helping the world consume fuel more efficiently is a highly complex business that owes a lot to cutting edge science and technology. But when U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu appeared on Comedy Central recently, he offered some decidedly low-tech advice: Make it White.
White, as in white roof, that is. Chu reminded his modern audience of a basic fact that dwellers of warm climates have understood for centuries: when you paint a roof, or even an entire house white, it absorbs less heat. Way back when, that simply meant that everyone was a little bit more comfortable. Today, it means less air conditioning, lower electricity bills and reduced emissions. By Chu’s own account, if the world could somehow manage to turn all its roofs white within 20 years, it would save about 24 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions – the same amount the entire world emitted last year. “So, in a sense, it’s like turning off the world for a year.” It’s a rhetorical argument of course, but it does show that little changes can add up.
The New York Times cites studies showing that in hot, sunny climates, white roofs reduce air-conditioning costs by at least 20%. They are not much more expensive than standard darker roofs and the investment can pay for itself quickly.
One disclaimer: People who live in places that have cold winters should probably keep dark roofs, which during cold, sunny days help keep homes warmer and reduce heating costs. But if you hail from a place like Arizona or Florida or southern California, take Chu’s advice and go light. Saving energy doesn’t always have to be so complicated.
Tags: CEA, chu, Consumer Energy Alliance, efficiency, energy, gas, oil, white roof
Posted in CEABlog | No Comments »
CEA August 2009 Newsletter
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
CEA Newsletter
Issue 29
Message from CEA President David Holt
Last month marked the first anniversary of the withdrawal from the 18-year old presidential moratorium on domestic offshore energy production by President Bush. Though the lifting of the offshore oil & gas drilling ban was a momentous decision, we are still no closer to accessing our vital offshore energy reserves than we were last July. We must continue to work toward a national energy policy that fully leverages America’s abundant offshore energy resources into new jobs, revenue and security for American energy consumers.
As we have often said before – while expanding the use of alternative energy through greater development of wind, solar, nuclear and other energy sources is the ultimate goal, we need to ensure that access to our abundant oil and natural gas resources is achieved as we continue to build that bridge to the future. Further, we have to guarantee that these energy resources are secure and affordable if we have any hope of seeing the national economy rebound.
By curbing our demand, increasing our supplies, especially from conventional energy resources along our coasts, we can reduce our dependence on foreign and unstable regions of the world to keep our economy moving. American families and small businesses deserve policies from the federal government that will actually deliver affordable, efficient and reliable energy. Opening up our offshore areas for responsible energy development is a step in that direction, and Consumer Energy Alliance is proud to tell our federal government that we support offshore oil & gas drilling, as well as offshore alternative energy development.
Please join our efforts and tell the Administration that you support sensible energy production off of our coasts too (click here to send in a letter).
David Holt
President
Support U.S. Offshore Oil & Gas Development!
A significant domestic supply of energy can be safely and efficiently found right here off of America’s shores. The federal government currently administers the considerable energy resources contained in our offshore waters and wants to hear from you about offshore oil & gas and alternative energy development.
Opposition to offshore energy development is mounting. We need you to let Washington know you support reasonable access to America’s offshore energy resources. Send in your comments today!
Support Development of Alaska’s Offshore Oil & Gas Resources!
At a time when the American public is crying out for more domestic energy, Alaska has enormous untapped oil and gas potential, especially in its offshore areas. The waters off Alaska’s coasts hold about 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, estimates the federal government.
To begin producing energy from these resource basins, the federal government must take action. Join us in our effort as we build public support for offshore minerals exploration and development in Alaska. Send in your comments today!
CEA Blog: Good for the economy, good for the environment (and not a bad deal for consumers, either)
Check out CEA’s recent blog entry about the government’s cash for clunkers program. Join the conversation at CEA’s website. Read blog…
Consumer Corner: Standby Power
Did you know that many electrical products use energy when plugged in, even if turned off? As you read this, many of your own household appliances and conveniences are using “standby power” – the term for using energy when plugged in, yet not in use.
Standby Power is costly to consumers – about 10 percent of household electricity use is due to standby-powered electronics. At any time, the average home in the United States has 40 products constantly using power without the homeowner realizing it.
To save on home electricity bills and reduce wasteful standby power use, try these tips from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:
Unplug devices that aren’t being used
Use power strips to cut power to groups of electronics at one time
Purchase low-use standby products
Using tips such as these – and more found here – may save you up to 30 percent of the wasted energy being used in your home.
CEA being honored by Bering Omega Community Services
Consumer Energy Alliance is proud to act as the honorary chair for Bering Omega Community Services’ 15th annual SING FOR HOPE on September 19, 2009. The event will feature an intimate evening of classic opera arias and popular showstoppers from favorite musicals.
Proceeds raised by the event will help support Bering Omega’s efforts to provide compassionate healthcare and social services to people living with HIV/AIDS.
If you would like more information on Bering Omega and will be in the Houston area on September 19th, please visit Bering Omega’s website at www.beringomega.org.
Experts: Global Oil “Crunch” Possible Within Next Five Years
Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol warned Monday that oil fields throughout the world have passed peak production and that an oil “crunch” could develop during upcoming years. Read article…
Asia Sets its Sights on Solar Power
India and China are pursuing aggressive plans to step up their solar energy programs. Read article…
Affiliate Spotlight: American Public Gas Association
Representing publicly- and community-owned gas utilities, the American Public Gas Association (APGA) has more than 700 members throughout 36 states.
“We advocate on issues that impact our members and the communities they serve. We also work across the nation to educate our members on best safety practices, legislative issues, effective business and operational strategies and host conferences promoting the benefits of natural gas as a responsible and efficient energy source,” says President and CEO Bert Kalisch.
APGA’s vision is to be the voice and choice of public gas. In conjunction, the non-profit’s mission is to be an advocate for publicly-owned natural gas systems and effectively educate and communicate with members to promote safety, awareness, performance and competitiveness.
“As an advocate for public natural gas systems we work on behalf of our members to fight for the issues that affect their businesses and customers. From, transparency issues to supply issues, from the affordability of natural gas to promoting its environmental benefits – energy affects all of us,” Kalisch maintains.
One energy issue that is currently top priority to APGA, according to Kalisch, is promoting immediate use and responsible development of renewable and clean burning fossil fuels such as natural gas.
“We have a plentiful supply of natural gas available in the U.S and it is our hope that future energy plans include this clean, responsible and comfortable choice of fuel.”
APGA’s number one goal is to bring natural gas prices back to a long-term affordable level, Kalisch emphasizes.
“Increasing supply is a critical component of the solution to obtaining this goal. The primary reason we have suffered the price increases we have experienced is a natural gas supply/demand imbalance, supply has not been able or allowed to keep pace with demand.”
The imbalance, in large part, is due to federal policies which restrict exploration and production of natural gas.
“This restriction is ironic in light of other federal policies which favor gas use because of its clean-burning properties,” Kalisch maintains, adding that APGA is extremely concerned that congressional efforts to enact climate change legislation will further exacerbate the demand/supply balance.
“Under climate change legislation, natural gas will most likely become the ‘fuel of choice’ for electricity generation and this will further drive up price unless there are equivalent increases in supply.”
As a member of Consumer Energy Alliance, APGA recognizes the need for a strong U.S. energy policy and responsible development of domestic energy.
“We believe in the power of strength in numbers. That belief is the heart of our association and we believe that being a part of a group like the CEA just strengthens our likeminded messages,” Kalisch notes. “All of the affiliates in CEA may not have identical agendas or platforms, but we all understand the country’s incredible need for a comprehensive energy solution. Together as a group we can work together to move our collective agendas forward and finally see a U.S. energy policy that works for America, its citizens, energy producers and our planet.”
For more information on the American Public Gas Association, visit www.apga.org.
Tags: blog, CEA, CEA Energy Grass Roots, congress, Consumer Energy Alliance, Department of the Interior, energy, energy policy, energy prices, energy security, exploration, gas, offshore, oil
Posted in CEA News | 4 Comments »
CEA: Russian, Cuban Offshore Energy Production Agreement Must Send Strong Message to Washington
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
WASHINGTON – August 4, 2009 Reports have surfaced that Russia and Cuba have struck a multi-million dollar deal that will, in part, expand energy production in Cuban waters. According to Reuters, “Russia and Cuba have signed contracts that “set the bases” for Russian oil company Zarubezhneft to search for oil in Cuba’s part of the Gulf of Mexico.” Michael Whatley, Vice President of Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), issued this statement:
“As officials in Moscow and Havana work to expand energy production just miles from the Florida Keys, vast amounts of American energy resources – both on and offshore – remain padlocked by the federal government.
“Actions are underway, though, in Washington that may affect what domestic resources American consumers can access. Ken Salazar, secretary of the Interior, is readying a proposal that could ultimately determine where offshore energy production could occur. It is vital that Secretary Salazar’s five-year outer continental shelf development plan opens our waters for responsible, 21st century energy development, especially in Alaska’s resource-rich seas.
“As small businesses continue to struggle to make payroll and keep their doors open, and as families are forced to make difficult decisions and tighten their belts, we must move forward with policies that reduce energy costs across the board. What our economy, and our nation, desperately need from Washington is commonsense, supply-focused energy plans that ensure environmental safety, and that American consumers have access to affordable, reliable, and efficient energy.”
Read More:
- Under the headline “Global economy at risk from oil price rise,” the Financial Times report this yesterday: “The world economy cannot sustain any further rise in the oil price, the International Energy Agency’s chief economist warned as oil prices rose toward a record high for the year. Fatih Birol told the Financial Times that prices higher than about $70 could dampen a world economic recovery. “If we go one step further, if we see prices go much higher than that, we may see it slow down and strangle economic recovery,” he said of oil prices on Friday.”
- The Southeast Energy Alliance, the southeastern chapter of CEA, released a study on the economic impact that responsible offshore energy development could have on the state of North Carolina. Among its key findings, the report found that offshore oil and gas exploration could create more than 6,700 new jobs in the state, increase North Carolina’s GDP by $659 million a year, and generate approximately $148 billion in federal, state and local revenues. Click HERE to view the report.
Tags: Add new tag, Cuba, energy, energy policy, energy security, energy supply, government, ocs, offshore, oil, Russia, Southeast Energy Alliance
Posted in CEA News | No Comments »
Biodiesel backlash
Friday, July 31st, 2009
They’re still pretty rare, but a growing number of cars across the U.S. are sporting bumper stickers announcing they are Powered by Vegetable Oil. The fledgling vegetable oil-as-fuel movement has inspired many people who were educated in the complex politics and economics of oil and would like to believe that filling up the tank is as simple as picking up a used vat of cooking oil from the local fast food restaurant, where the worst byproduct is exhaust that smells like French fries.
Yet as biodiesel has grown in popularity, it has, like virtually every up-and-coming fuel source, attracted some controversy. What works just fine as an individual science experiment invariably runs into problems when production and consumption ramps up.
The latest blow to biodiesel came in June when Seattle, a progressive city known for its green landscapes and its green politics, abandoned soy-based biodiesel as a key fuel source for its municipal fleets. The city concluded that the alternative fuel was more harmful to the environment than traditional diesel. Like some controversial forms of ethanol, the soy-based biodiesel it had been using was being produced on large swaths of farmland that might otherwise be devoted to growing food, while emitting large volumes of greenhouse gases.
While Seattle made news for formally backing away from a program that had looked so promising, other regions are quietly doing the same. A column in the Seattle Times notes that a Washington state law requiring that certain government and construction fleets get 20% of their fuel from crop-based biodiesel is widely being ignored by businesses and municipalities. And two years ago, the United Nations called for a five-year moratorium on the use of crops for biofuels, going so far as to call these alternative fuel sources a crime against humanity for the way they consumed land needed to grow food.
The fact that biodiesel is suffering some growing pains does not mean it should be written off. Biodiesel continues to hold promise and advocates are quick to point out that when it is made from used vegetable oil rather than crops like soy, it leaves a lighter footprint.
But this setback does remind us that early promise and successful mass adoption are two very different things. Some fuels will work well as niche sources of energy, but not in the mass market: even all the deep fryers across America would not yield nearly enough oil to power all the cars and trucks on our roads.
This is precisely the reason the U.S. needs to invest in a variety of traditional and alternative fuels: no single source, on its own, is the answer.
Tags: biodiesel, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, energy, oil
Posted in CEABlog | No Comments »
CEA Applauds New Bill Enlisting New States in Fight for Secure, Affordable Energy
Monday, July 27th, 2009
CEA president says revenue-sharing bill will give states ‘both the authority and the incentive’ to explore for energy off their shores
HOUSTON – July 27, 2009 All of the nation’s 23 coastal states would receive the same percentage of offshore energy revenue currently enjoyed by Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama if legislation introduced today in the Senate were to become law. Under current law, Gulf Coast states are entitled to 37.5 percent of the energy royalties produced offshore. States that produce energy on federal onshore lands currently benefit from a 50-50 revenue split with the federal government.
The bill, authored by U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.), would end the current revenue-sharing legal inequity while encouraging new states to help advance key national goals related to energy security, accessibility and affordability.
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) president David Holt issued the following statement today applauding the legislation:
“While energy-producing states have always been among the national leaders in job creation, economic development and energy affordability, it’s not unreasonable for them to expect equal treatment with states that generate billions in annual revenues from onshore and offshore production royalties. This bill would end the current inequity, and in the process help deliver a future in which more states are given both the authority and the incentive to produce homegrown energy resources for themselves, their future, and the security and well-being of the American people.”
Added Holt: “CEA has long supported the equitable distribution of these energy-related royalties, and we stand ready and eager to work with Sens. Murkowski and Landrieu to help folks understand why this change in policy is so critical to America’s consumers and producers of energy.”
NOTE: Also today, the Southeast Energy Alliance, the southeastern chapter of CEA, formally released the findings of a recent study on the economic impact that responsible offshore energy development could have on the state of North Carolina. Among its key findings, the report found that offshore oil and gas exploration could create more than 6,700 new jobs in the state, increase North Carolina’s GDP by $659 million a year, and generate approximately $148 billion in federal, state and local revenues. A copy of the report can be found here.
Tags: CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, energy, gas, offshore, oil
Posted in CEA News | No Comments »
CEA Applauds California’s Efforts to Expand American Energy Production, Reduce Consumer Cost
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
State budget deal expanding domestic energy access comes on the heels of one-year anniversary of presidential offshore ban lifting
WASHINGTON – July 22, 2009 The California state government has reached a budget deal to meet their state’s $26 billion financial shortfall, which includes expanded domestic energy exploration off Santa Barbara’s resource-rich coast. As the budget deal continues to be negotiated, David Holt, president of the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), a non-profit energy consumer advocacy group that supports fully leveraging America’s abundant offshore energy resources into new jobs, revenue and security for American energy consumers, issued the following statement:
“California’s leaders in Sacramento are making positive steps toward reducing the price at the pump for working families and small businesses in their state. With nearly 12 percent of their state’s residents unemployed, efforts to expand offshore energy production, while protecting the environment, will also help thousands get back to work, while generating much-needed government revenues to keep the schools and police forces operating at the same time.
“With today’s advanced, 21st century technologies, offshore energy exploration is safer and more reliable than ever. And while this is a positive step toward delivering affordable and reliable energy to American consumers, we must continue to invest in wind, solar, biomass, nuclear, coal and other sources of domestic energy. Importantly, we look forward to working with Secretary Salazar and others in the Obama Administration to craft a 5-year offshore plan that will thoughtfully open our Outer Continental Shelf, especially Alaska’s energy-rich seas, for exploration. American jobs, our energy security and place in the global market will depend on it.”
Read More:
- According to the Associated Press:
Schwarzenegger also succeeded in having a proposal to expand oil drilling off the Southern California coast included in the budget agreement. Under that plan, drilling would be allowed from an existing rig off the Santa Barbara coast, generating about $1.8 billion in revenue over time. The proposal, opposed by many conservation groups, would be the state’s first new offshore oil project in more than 40 years.
- San Francisco Chronicle columnist, Debra Saunders, wrote this:
As investor Gregor Macdonald recently blogged, “The mother lode of untapped capital remains in California’s offshore reserves of oil and gas. Speaking very generally, if California were able to quadruple offshore daily oil and gas production … starting in 2012 – that would represent gross oil sales of nearly $15 billion a year.” Bargain for royalties of 20 percent or more, and you fund a lot of teachers and parks.
Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, had been pushing for legislation to approve slant-drilling before this year’s budget battle. “I can see rigs from my district,” DeVore noted – and the hotels by the beach are booked. What is more, local oil means good jobs for Californians, less opportunity for transportation spills and fewer American dollars sent to oil-rich countries with competing national interests.
Tags: CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, energy, energy policy, gas, Governor Schwarzenegger, offshore, oil
Posted in CEA News | 2 Comments »
Staying cool (or warm) on a fixed income
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
There’s a lot of talk of people being squeezed by high energy prices, but those who feel no more than a squeeze are arguably the fortunate ones. Many others living on fixed incomes just don’t have the wiggle room in their budgets to pick between, say cable and heat: When home heating oil gets too expensive in the winter, or when air conditioning becomes prohibitively pricey during deadly heat waves, these people often have little choice but to turn the thermostat down, or unplug the a.c. They are not merely squeezed, they are cut off.
In most parts of the country, heating and air conditioning are necessities as basic as a roof over one’s head. And yet, every year millions of low income individuals and families head into the cold winter season or the hot summer season with little clue whether they’ll be able to afford to maintain a livable temperature in their homes.
This is even more sobering when you consider that the people most likely to be priced out of a heated home are seniors. This problem has been addressed by many senior advocacy groups, including the 60 Plus Association and AARP, which last year published a research paper on the problem in which it noted that more than a third of all senior households had total incomes of less than $20,000. Although seniors’ energy bills were generally lower than the overall population, as a portion of total income, their bills are significantly higher.
Heating and cooling costs are highly variable, but to offer a sense of how much a price spike affects the average senior, AARP noted at the start of 2008 that a projected 37% increase in heating oil prices over the prior year would push heating oil prices in for the average senior in the Northeast above $2,000 for the season.
Numbers like that should give everyone pause. What other industry, after all, gets away with hiking prices 37% in a single year? The fact that it’s considered a given in the energy sector underscores how we have all become immune to a situation that we should consider unacceptable.
But back to the seniors for a moment. There are federal assistance programs such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to help poor individuals and families cover costs. But the aid it provides is confined to people living at or near the poverty level, defined as an annual income of $18,830 for a single-person household and a still-modest $22,050 per year for a family of four. When fuel prices increase by a third or more in a season, there are plenty of people who do not qualify for federal assistance, but still cannot find anything left over in their fixed incomes to make up the difference. As AARP noted, people from higher-income groups who don’t qualify for assistance are increasingly in need of help.
And if it seems such concerns are a long way away on a hot day in July, think again. As this report notes, more Americans die from heat waves each year than from all other natural disasters combined: a reminder that not being able to cool your home is much more than an inconvenience.
Tags: 60 Plus Association, AARP, CEA, Consumer Energy Alliance, Consumer Energy Issues, energy, low income, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Posted in CEABlog | 2 Comments »