National Update — Power Utilities Hail Carbon Bill
NEW YORK - (Reuters) - U.S. electricity generators support compromises being reached by Democrats in the House of Representatives on proposed climate legislation, saying the changes would soften the impact on power bills.
“It makes (the proposed bill) more reasonable and we’ve always said we would be willing to support a more reasonable cap-and-trade bill,” said Melissa McHenry, spokeswoman for American Electric Power (AEP.N), the country’s largest burner of coal for generating electricity.
Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have agreed to a reduced target of a 17 percent cut of greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels by 2020. Many lawmakers had initially sought a 20 percent reduction.
In addition, a compromise has been neared on requiring utilities to generate power from renewable sources like wind, solar and geothermal. The original goal of 25 percent renewable generation by 2025 has been softened to 15 percent with a 5 percent gain in energy efficiency by 2020.
Environmental groups will pressure lawmakers not to compromise too much as scientists say deep emissions cuts are needed to avoid the worst consequences of climate change including killer heat waves, floods and droughts.
But power companies say some compromises will be needed to get the program going.
Filed Under: ARCHIVES • Feature Articles • Utilities
Tags: carbon emissions • energy efficiency programs • global warming • Gov. Ritter
We need to promote export terminals to liquify and ship natural gas to markets in Asia and Euroupe. The US ...
Natural Gas can be consumed so efficiently that the WATER can even be recovered from the combusted exhaust gases.
Going ...
Lack of funding is a serious obstacle for implementation of audit recommendations. Even small rebates will have little impact ...
Re: Natural gas generation wasn’t included in the final analysis but is generally assumed to emit about half as much ...
Disclosure MIGHT prevent pollution if there was a watchdog agency that ruled yes or no on particular chemicals before they ...
Having just read Tom Gray's article 'Fred Udo's bogus numbers' I get the feeling I haven't understood whats going on. ...
I agree with you kirsch. I knew this article had the stench of industry money as soon add I read ...
Can someone explain how disclosure prevents pollution? They can still release air toxins and they are still not held ...