Interchange Blog
Scott Sklar Weighs in on Energy Bill
Scott Sklar, President of the Stella Group, Ltd. and Clean Tech Collective blogger, has released the following regarding the Senate-approved energy bill:
December 15, 2007 (Washington, DC) — The US Senate mustered enough votes to pass an Energy Bill which will by approved by the House of Representatives and signed by the President. While the Bill did address the reducing of energy used in our vehicles through increased efficiency mandates (CAFE) and utilization of a greater percentage of biofuels (RFS), the legislation dropped out the two most important provisions regarding renewable energy – extension and enhancements of both the investment and production tax credits for renewable energy, and the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirements for utilities.
Sklar stated, “Passage of the $21 billion domestic clean energy tax package and portfolio mandates, would have doubled the amount for renewable energy used in our nation’s buildings and generated by our nation’s electric utilities in a decade.” Sklar went further to elaborate that passage of the tax incentives and utility mandate provisions would have also made biofuels conversion more beneficial and less reliant on fossil and imported energy for its conversion to fuel.
“The failure to pass critical policy provisions to reduce energy costs for business owners and homeowners, protect our energy infrastructure against acts of nature and terrorism, and fundamentally reduce emissions causing respitory diseases and global climate change – was an abdication of duty to the American people by a minority of legislators from both parties and The Administration”, said Sklar.