Obama to speak about energy plans

[IDemo]

Source: usa today

President Obama turns his attention back to energy this week, including a speech Wednesday in which "he will outline his plan for America's energy security," the White House announced today.

There are plenty of things to talk about on energy.

Unrest in Libya and the Middle East threaten to disrupt U.S. oil supplies as analysts project $5-a-gallon gas in the summer.

In another part of the world, the threat of a nuclear meltdown in Japan may hurt efforts to develop more nuclear power.

Read more: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/03/obama-to-speak-about-energy-plans/1

[RKP5637]

1. I'll be so glad when the unrec feature is gone. This is a Recommend!!! n/t

[IDemo]

2. It will be interesting to see if he separates transportation from grid energy

Notwithstanding the emergence of electric cars, almost none of the high cost of oil can be remedied with wind or solar anytime soon enough. The two biggest problems we face in the immediate future are finding a suitable replacement for nuclear and coal power plants with their obvious safety and environmental issues; and finding a replacement transportation fuel to replace oil. There are no easy answers on either side, but time may be running out both due to climate change and Peak Oil.

[Javaman]

3. Plenty of money to drop bombs,

but so hard to fund infrastructure.

I didn't see him "outline" a plan to bomb Libya until after the bombs dropped.

I imagine a day when food is given to the poor instead of building more weapons.

[maddezmom]

4. kick

[TomCADem]

5. Obama to Set Goal of One-Third Cut in Oil Imports

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — With gasoline prices rising, oil supplies from the Middle East pinched by political upheaval and growing calls in Congress for expanded domestic oil and gas production, President Obama on Wednesday will set a goal of a one-third reduction in oil imports over the next decade, aides said Tuesday.

* * *
He will call for a consistent long-term fuel-savings strategy of producing more electric cars, converting trucks to run on natural gas, building new refineries to brew billions of gallons of biofuels and setting new fuel-efficiency standards for vehicles. Congress has been debating these measures for years.

* * *
He will respond to members of Congress and oil industry executives who have complained that the administration has choked off domestic oil and gas production by imposing costly new regulations and by blocking exploration on millions of acres of potentially oil-rich tracts both on shore and off.

* * *
“This is an effort to distract the American people from rising gas prices and the fact that the administration has been delaying, deferring or denying access to our oil and natural gas resources here at home,” said Erik Milito, the director of exploration policy at the American Petroleum Institute. “Lease sales have been delayed or canceled, and this year, for the first time since 1957, we may not have a single offshore lease sale.”


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/science/earth/31energy.html?_r=2&hp&loc=interstitialskip

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Of course, you have Rep. Darrell Issa challenging fuel economy standards as too onerous, and Republicans using the middle east crisis to once again push drill baby drill baby drill with no repercussions from the gulf spill while attacking White House regulations as too onerous. Of course, Republicans will get a free pass on their opposition to measures to develop renewable energy sources and promote energy efficiency.

[FLPanhandle]

6. Sounds like Jimmy Carter

If only we'd have started this back in the 1970's instead of now.

[regnaD kciN]

7. Actually, we did...

The problem wasn't "starting" it, but "continuing" it. As soon as Raygun took over the White House, all conservation and alternative-energy research plans were axed, and the nation's energy policy became "oil, baby, oil!" Twelve years of Ronzo followed by Poppy The Oilerman did a whole lot to set us back and land us in the place we are now. :-(

[FLPanhandle]

9. True.

I remember Reagan joking while taking down the solar panels from the White House.

[TomCADem]

8. How so? USA Today - "U.S. solar industry reports record 2010 growth"

I know the corporate media pushes the narrative that President Obama has not been effective in pushing energy independence, yet solar has had record years due in no small part to the 2009 stimulus, and with the auto rescue deal, car companies dropped some of their opposition to fuel efficiency standards. Still, feel free to slam a Democrat and give Republicans a free pass for their insistance that we just rely on fossil fuels and curb environmental regulations because that is what the corporate media is telling us to do.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/03/us-solar-industry-2010-record-growth/1

The U.S. solar power market grew a record 67% last year, making it the fastest-growing energy sector, the industry reports Thursday.

Its market share jumped from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6 billion in 2010, helped by federal tax credits and declining technology costs, according to a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research.

Enough solar power was installed last year to power about 200,000 homes, the report says, noting that more than 65,000 homes and businesses added solar water or pool heating systems. In particular, the photovoltaics or solar panel part of the market soared most, more than doubling from 2009.

President Obama has touted renewable energy sources, and Congress extended their federal tax credits, originally set to expire at the end of last year, through 2011.

[FLPanhandle]

10. Imagine if this growth occured in 1980 instead of 2010 though

Not slighting Obama at all, just noting that Carter actively started this effort in the 1970's and it was all stopped for 30 years. Glad it's going again but we lost 30 years.