Lesson 72: Policies for Renewable Energy
In this lesson, we will talk about the need for a renewable energy policy. We
will also look at how dependent the United States is on oil, and recent
legislation designed to reduce that dependence. Finally, we will learn about
renewable portfolio standards that have been implemented in many states to try
to increase the use of renewable energy.
Fossil fuels are limited and polluting. They are non-sustainable.
Renewable energy is sustainable energy. They do not pollute ecosystems.
Building a renewable energy policy involves having plans to produce renewable
energy to meet consumption and reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The United States imports 2/3 of its oil,
mostly used in
transportation. We are heavily dependent on oil to power our economy.
$600,000 leaves the United States every minute to pay for oil fuel.
We are dependent on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
and are vulnerable to terrorist attacks on our energy supplies and
infrastructure.
Moving away from
fossil fuel use will help the United States become more energy independent.
Given the United States' dependence on foreign oil, often in volatile areas,
both the Bush and Obama administrations have aimed to increase renewable energy
development. This has increased over time. Both the Energy Policy Act of 2005
and Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 were developed to assist in
this.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 gave a huge $43 billion
boost to renewable energy. These new federal laws also set standards to
establish fuel energy standards and to increase energy conservation and
efficiency.
Apart from the federal regulations,
RPS standards have also been adopted in
some areas of the country. Renewable portfolio standards or RPS requires
utility companies to provide more power from renewable energy sources other
than hydroelectric sources.
37 states and the District of Columbia have implemented RPS. These standards do
not directly address climate change but they expand programs to capture and
sequester carbon.
More Americans are
energy-conscious after gasoline prices steadily rose during a decade. A carbon
tax is one idea that has been proposed to discourage fossil fuel use and to
encourage renewable energy production that does not produce carbon. While the
United States is far from being energy independent, there is serious effort to
address the need for renewable energy sources and increase efficiency today.