Barack Obama: Clean energy

Full Report

America’s energy future is at stake

America is facing an energy crisis. Costs are rising. Pollution from fossil fuel use threatens our health and contributes to global warming. And America’s dependence on imported energy puts our economy and national security at risk.

Americans have a clear choice this November in the presidential election. Sen. Barack Obama has been a leader in embracing a new energy future for America—one in which we use energy wisely and get more of our energy from clean, homegrown renewable sources. His opponent, Sen. John McCain, has pushed Big Oil’s agenda in Congress, has worked to block clean energy solutions for America, has consistently voted against renewable energy policies that have already been adopted by 26 states, and missed more clean energy votes in 2007 than any other senator.[2]

For a clean energy future that can protect our environment and rejuvenate our economy, Americans should elect Barack Obama as the next president of the United States.

America’s energy crisis

For too long, America has relied on dirty, dangerous and unstable sources of energy. Our overdependence on fossil fuels has hurt our environment, our health and our economy.

• America imports 58 percent of our oil from abroad—up from 27 percent in 1985—threatening our economy and our national security.[3]

• The United States is the world’s leading global warming polluter, largely due to our reliance on coal-fired power plants. On a per capita basis, America’s economy produces twice as much carbon dioxide as Japan or Great Britain, five times as much as China and 18 times as much as India.[4]

• America spends twice as much each year on gasoline as we did five years ago. That’s an additional $200 billion per year sucked out of Americans’ pocketbooks, with much of it sent to unfriendly regimes overseas.[5]

• Energy consumption contributes to a host of environmental and public health problems: mercury pollution of waterways, unhealthy air in our cities, public safety threats from aging nuclear reactors and stockpiles of spent nuclear fuel and many more.

The solution: A new energy future

There is hope, however. America can embrace a new energy future in which we use energy more wisely and get more of our energy from clean, homegrown renewable sources. Indeed, we have the technology today to dramatically reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and curb our dependence on imports. For example:

• The technology exists to make our cars and trucks go much farther on a gallon of gasoline. Automakers could achieve a fleet average of 40 mpg within 10 years with existing technology.[6] And new technologies such as plug-in hybrids could produce cars that get 100 mpg or more—cars that could be available within the next few years.[7]

• America could cut its use of energy by 25 to 30 percent over the next two decades—while saving money—by improving the energy efficiency of our homes and businesses.[8]

• America has enough renewable energy potential to supply all of our electricity needs.[9] America has doubled its wind-power generating capacity in just the last two years,[10] and we’ve also doubled the amount of energy we generate from solar panels on rooftops.[11] But that’s just the beginning: more than two dozen states have committed to getting an increasing share of their energy from renewable sources.

• Investing in clean energy can also renew America’s economy. Renewable energy alone accounts for more than 440,000 jobs in the United States.[12] And investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy keeps our energy dollars at home rather than sending them overseas.

The 2008 election and our energy future

America’s next president will make key decisions on a host of important energy issues. Big Oil and other powerful industries will use their clout to push policies that pad their profits while keeping America addicted to fossil fuels. If America is to move toward a new energy future, we must elect a president who is capable of standing up to powerful interests and putting Americans first.

In his time in the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama has shown that he is one of those leaders.

Barack Obama: A champion for clean energy

Sen. Barack Obama has a concrete plan for strengthening the American economy through smart and sensible energy policies. Moreover, his actions in the U.S. Senate underscore his commitment to clean energy. Sen. Obama has consistently supported policies that will bring America toward a new energy future. As a senator, Obama has:

• Voted to increase gas mileage standards for cars,[13] a move that will cut gasoline consumption by 8.5 billion gallons a year in America by 2020. This will save Americans more than $26 billion each year at the pump.[14]

• Voted for strong energy efficiency standards for appliances, equipment and lighting[15] that will save enough energy by 2020 to power 26 million America homes.[16]

• Voted for producing more of our energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar power and for extending federal incentives for clean energy.[17] These policies would expand upon the clean energy boom that has seen the construction of more than 10,000 new wind turbines in America in the last three years alone.[18] One recent study found that America could create 2 million good-paying green collar jobs through an aggressive federal investment in green energy infrastructure.[19] Sen. Obama has proposed an even more ambitious plan that would create 5 million new “green jobs” in the United States.

• Voted for tax credits for clean energy and the development of energy-efficient technology, paid for by repealing tax breaks for Big Oil. These tax credits alone are estimated to result in 116,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector.[20]

Sen. Obama has consistently earned top marks for his advocacy for clean energy and a clean environment. In 2008, Sen. Obama voted for the environment 90 percent of the time and has voted for the environment 86 percent of the time during his Senate career in votes scored by Environment America.[21]

John McCain: For Big Oil, against clean energy

On the other hand, Sen. Obama’s opponent, Sen. McCain, has a consistent record of supporting Big Oil and opposing clean energy policies.

In the 110th Congress, Sen. McCain failed to vote on a host of key energy measures before Congress. In 2007, McCain failed to support efforts to increase gas mileage standards for cars, promote alternative fuels, and cut gasoline consumption in America and across the country.[22] McCain failed to vote for strong energy efficiencystandards for appliances, equipment and lighting,[23] and he failed to vote on measures that would support clean, renewable energy and create millions of new jobs in America.[24] Sen. McCain has voted against a renewable electricity standard, similar to those now in place in 26 states, that would increase America’s production of clean, homegrown energy.

As a result of these and other votes, Sen. McCain earned a 0 percent pro-environment score from Environment America in 2008 and a lifetime pro-environment voting record of 30 percent.

Barack Obama: The right choice for America’s energy future

Barack Obama has shown that he is a leader in fighting for a clean energy future for America that can protect our health, reduce global warming pollution, save consumers money and rejuvenate our economy. By electing Barack Obama as the next president, Americans can ensure that they have a champion fighting for their interests—and not those of Big Oil—in the critical energy battles that face the United States.

About Environment America

We all want clean air, clean water and open space. But it takes independent research and tough-minded advocacy to win concrete results for our environment, especially when powerful interests stand in the way of environmental progress. That's the idea behind Environment America. We focus exclusively on protecting our air, water and open space. We speak out and take action at the local, state and national levels to improve the quality of our environment and our lives.

Sources

[1] Ivan Frishberg and Rick Trilsch, Environment America, Environment America Congressional Scorecard 2008, June, 2008.

[2] U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Review 2007, 23 June 2008.

[3] U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, International Energy Annual 2005, 1 October 2007.

[4] U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Review 2007, 23 June 2008.

[5] Union of Concerned Scientists, Common Sense on Climate Change Solutions #1: Make Better Cars and SUVs, downloaded from www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/global_warming_101/common-sense-solution-1.html, 19 September 2008.

[6] Both General Motors and Toyota have pledged to produce plug-in hybrid vehicles within the next several years. See James R. Healey, “Ford, Toyota, GM Get Charged Up for Plug-In Hybrids,” USA Today, 18 January 2008.

[7] Karen Ehrhardt-Martinez and John A. “Skip” Laitner, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, The Size of the U.S. Energy Efficiency Market: Generating a More Complete Picture, May 2008.   

[8] Both solar thermal power and wind energy could theoretically supply more than 100 percent of America’s energy needs. Solar thermal power: Bernadette Del Chiaro, Sarah Payne, Tony Dutzik, Environment America Research & Policy Center, On the Rise: Solar Thermal Power and the Fight Against Global Warming, Spring 2008. Wind: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Wind Energy Resource Potential, downloaded from www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/wind_potential.html, 19 September 2008.

[9] American Wind Energy Association, U.S. Wind Energy Installations Surpass 20,000 Megawatts [press release], 3 September 2008.

[10] Prometheus Institute and Solar Energy Industries Association, U.S. Solar Industry Year in Review 2007, downloaded from www.seia.org/galleries/pdf/Year_in_Review_2007_sm.pdf, 19 September 2008.

[11] Michael Renner, Worldwatch Institute, Jobs in Renewable Energy Expanding, 8 July 2008.

[12] YES vote on Creating Clean Energy Act of 2007, HR 6, http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00226, 21 June 2007.

[13] Benjamin Schreiber, Environment America, Driving Towards a New Energy Future, November 2007.

[14] YES vote on Amendment to HR 6, http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00223, 21 June 2007.

[15] Savings estimate based on savings from appliance, equipment and lighting standards in the 2007 Energy Bill by 2020 from American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Energy Bill Savings Estimates as Passed by the Senate: ACEEE’s Assessment of the Potential Energy, Carbon and Economic Savings, 14 December 2007. “Average home” based on average per capita residential electricity consumption from U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Energy Consumption in Illinois Homes and similar state pages, downloaded from apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/residential.cfm/state=IL, 15 September 2008.

[16] YES vote on Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act of 2008,HR 5140, httphttp://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00008, 4 August 2007.

[17] Ryan Wiser and Mark Bolinger, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Annual Report on U.S. Wind Power Installation, Cost and Performance Trends: 2007, May 2008.

[18] Robert Pollin, Heidi Garrett-Peltier, James Heintz and Helen Scharber, Center for American Progress and Political Economy Research Institute at University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Green Recovery: A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy, September 2008.

[19] Navigant Consulting, Economic Impacts of the Tax Credit Expiration, 13 February 2008, prepared for the American Wind Energy Association and Solar Energy Research and Education Foundation.

[20] Ivan Frishberg and Rick Trilsch, Environment America, Environment America Congressional Scorecard 2008, June, 2008.

[21]Creating Clean Energy Act of 2007, HR 6, http://www.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00226, 21 June 2007.

[22]Amendment to HR 6, http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00223, 21 June 2007.

[23]Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act of 2008,HR 5140, httphttp://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00008, 4 August 2007.

[24] http://www.environmentamerica.org/issues/election-2008/background.