Those Udall boys are at it again:
http://www.platts.com/...
Two US Senate Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a bill requiring utilities to generate 25% of their electricity from renewable energy sources, including wind and solar, by 2025.
The bill, introduced by Senators Mark Udall of Colorado and Tom Udall of New Mexico, is similar to the Colorado Renewable Energy Standard, a ballot initiative approved by that state's voters in 2004 that requires investor-owned utilities to generate 30% of their electricity from renewables by 2020, the senators said.
The senators plan to attach the bill as an amendment to an energy efficiency bill, which is expected to be voted on sometime this year. - Platts, 10/29/13
Here's a little more info:
http://www.aspenbusinessjournal.com/...
The bill, which mirrors the Colorado Renewable Energy Standard that Mark Udall championed and helped pass in 2004, would set the first national threshold for utilities to provide a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable resources, gradually increasing the requirements up until 2025.
"Clean energy creates jobs, spurs innovation, reduces global warming and makes us more energy independent. This common-sense proposal would extend Colorado's successful effort to expand the use of renewable energy alongside natural gas and coal to the entire nation," Mark Udall said in a news release. "I was honored to lead the effort to institute a renewable energy standard in Colorado and am proud to join with Sen. Tom Udall to bring this policy to the nation."
"The global clean energy race is increasingly competitive, and our bill is the best way to help America take the lead and build a thriving clean energy economy," Tom Udall added. "A national RES will get America running on homegrown clean energy, create almost 300,000 new jobs and help revitalize our rural communities — all while fighting global warming. I've long fought for a 'do it all, do it right' energy strategy, and a national RES is a critical part of maximizing our country’s energy potential." - Aspen Business Journal, 10/29/13
Here's what the Udall's bill aims for:
http://www.denverijournal.com/...
The senators' Renewable Energy Standard bill strives to:
Create jobs and spur innovation in Colorado, a leader in manufacturing wind energy technology and home to innovative solar energy companies;
Slow global warming by gradually reducing carbon emissions across the United States;
Spur economic growth in rural areas of Colorado and the nation by encouraging utilities to partner with farmers and communities to install wind turbines and solar arrays; and,
Make the United States more energy self-reliant through the development of renewable energy alongside coal and clean-burning natural gas. - Denver iJournal, 10/29/13
The Udalls have been pushing for this for some time now:
http://www.enewspf.com/...
Tom and Mark Udall, who are first cousins, first introduced a similar initiative in 2002 while members of the U.S. House of Representatives. They eventually built a coalition in the House and won passage of an RES amendment in 2007. Since being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008, they have continued the fight in hopes of finally passing a national RES into law.
The senators' legislation would create the first national threshold for utilities to provide a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable resources, including wind, solar, biomass and hydrokinetic energy. The bill would set a 6 percent requirement by 2014, followed by gradual increases thereafter to meet the 25 percent by 2025 goal.
Studies show a national RES would:
Create an additional 274,000-297,000 jobs. Over 50 percent of these jobs would be created in the manufacturing sector.
Save consumers almost $100 billion on their utility bills by 2030.
Provide $13.5 billion to farmers, ranchers and other landowners in the form of lease payments, creating new economic activity in rural communities across the United States.
Add $11.5 billion in new local tax revenues. These revenue streams improve the lives of residents and revitalize their communities.
Suppliers can meet the federal requirements by purchasing credits from other entities that have obtained credits by producing renewable energy. The RES also allows utilities to bank credits for four years and to borrow credits from up to three years in the future. Municipal and other publicly owned power plants and rural electric co-ops would be exempted from the requirements. - eNews Park Forest, 10/29/13
If you would like more information, please do contact either of the Udall cousins:
Mark Udall: (202) 224-5941
http://www.markudall.senate.gov/...
Tom Udall: (202) 224-6621
http://www.tomudall.senate.gov/...