Alliance Applauds Bipartisan Bill Establishing National Renewable Electricity Standard, Energy Efficiency Standard
The Alliance to Save Energy News
Alliance Applauds Bipartisan Bill Establishing National Renewable Electricity Standard, Energy Efficiency Standard
For Immediate Release
For Further Information
Ronnie Kweller (202) 530-2203 (O); rkweller@ase.org
Clay Crownover (202) 530-2202; ccrownover@ase.org
Washington, D.C. – The Alliance to Save Energy praised Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Sens. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) for their bipartisan introduction today of legislation that allows utilities to use energy efficiency to meet a mandated renewable electricity standard (RES).
“Today’s legislation is a major step forward in reducing consumers’ energy bills,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan, “and we are hopeful that the bipartisan support assembled by Chairman Bingaman will make it possible for the bill to be passed by the full Senate this year.”
She added, “We are proud to count Sen. Bingaman among the honorary vice-chairs on the Alliance’s Board of Directors.”
With the exception of its implementation beginning in 2012, the Bingaman bill’s RES provision is substantively identical to that contained in last year’s American Clean Energy Leadership Act, which mandates a 15 percent RES by 2021. The new bill specifies that following a petition from a governor, energy efficiency may count for up to about 25 percent of the RES requirement.
“While the targets in the Senate bill are not as strong as the combined efficiency and RES that the House passed last year,” Callahan said, “today’s bill beautifully exemplifies the broad, bipartisan support that energy efficiency and renewable energy can garner while avoiding the partisan divides of election-year politics.
“The stronger language in the House-passed bill would result in more energy savings, but we nevertheless applaud Chairman Bingaman’s leadership on a national standard that will help consumers reduce their overall energy use and cut their monthly energy costs, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and help jumpstart America’s economy,” she concluded.
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The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, the economy and national security.
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