Get Energy Smart! NOW!

The CBO pessimistically reported that it could cost American households as much as a postage stamp, per day, to begin the process of tackling climate change via the (overly weakened, not nearly as cost-effective and effective as possible) Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act.  This, of course, was trumpted as good news, even […]

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When contemplating the path of climate legislation over the past several years, we must address a continual question and challenge for those (which should be all of us) concerned that our political system is proving unable to come up with a policy and regulatory framework that provides any real hope for putting us (the United […]

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A guest post from Craig Severance at Energy Economy Online discussing Ed Mazria’s Architecture 2030 concept for job creation and economic stimulus through a massive energy efficiency investment in America’s buildings through a mortgage subsidy program. Quite simply, this is perhaps the most valuable W5 strategy (win economically (stimulus, competitiveness, etc), win on energy, win […]

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Amid the supplemental appropriations bill (warning, 144 page pdf), currently awaiting vote after a Conference Committee, is the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Program (pages 52-58). Naming bills in deceptive and often cutesy terms has truly become an art form. The CARS Program merits being in the same zone as the ever-so appealing […]

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The best (blog and academic) work that I’ve seen on why we should work with gallons per mile (gpm), rather than miles per gallon (mpg), comes from Duke Professor Rick Larrick. He blogs at MPG Illusion and GPM Calculator. As we consider the Clunker of a Deal (otherwise known as Cash for Clunkers), it is […]

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Last Friday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) release their financial “scoring” of the draft Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act (note: pdf). CBO’s analysis projects, through its first decade, that the Federal Government will bring in $845.6 billion in revenue with $821.2 billion in additional expenditures, meaning that the US Treasury would see […]

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Amid the focus on Waxman-Markey’s climate-focused provisions, sometimes we (I) lose sight of the strongest and most valuable portions of the American Climate and Energy Security (ACES) Act: the Energy Efficiency elements. It is (nearly …) without question that one of the fastest, highest payoff, and most powerful near-term (and continuing) Silver BBs to tackle […]

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Al Gore says supports it. Paul Krugman says support it. Two Nobel Prize Winners. Who am I to question them? That is a question received, in more than one space, when it comes to the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act. Well, with all due respect to the infallibility of a Nobel Prize […]

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The announced deal to strengthen auto mileage standards, aiming for a fleet average of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, has many implications. One of these is, quite clearly, reduced oil use. According to President Obama we will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles sold in the next five […]

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A 932 page bill … with manager’s amendments on top of it … with active committee debate … any single individual with an ability to actually understand the intricacies of the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act has achieved near-super-human capacities. Reading through the bill, time after time, I pause to scratch my head, […]

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