THE OBAMA ENERGY PLAN

Obama's gambit to marry US policies on environment and energy; The president has integrated energy security goals with environment policy, focusing on renewable power. But his effort won't succeed, analysts say, unless Congress agrees to put a price on carbon emissions.
Mark Clayton, April 17, 2010 (Christian Science Monitor)

"…President Obama has quietly set the nation's energy policy on a new course…[E]nergy czar Carol Browner – working with the departments of Interior, Energy, and Transportation – has established a new, unified energy-and-environment policy. But whether this focus on renewable power and energy security can succeed depends largely on whether Congress approves climate-energy legislation that puts a price on carbon emissions…

"…[S]ignificant energy-related accomplishments to date…[1] Accelerating adoption of renewable energy – wind, solar, and geothermal power and battery-powered vehicles – and high-speed rail via $90 billion in new spending and tax incentives…[2] Defining greenhouse-gas emissions as a danger to human health and the environment, paving the way for the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate them – or for Congress to…[put a] price on them…[3] Unveiling a new "clean car" standard that, for the first time, regulates greenhouse-gas tailpipe emissions…"

Obama administration policies sustained wind's expansion in 2009. (click to enlarge)

"Now, however, the president faces his biggest energy test for his union of energy-environment policy: getting Congress to pass a comprehensive climate-energy bill that will put a price on carbon emissions…[if] legislation now stalled in the Senate [fails]…construction of coal and natural-gas power plants could surge, while wind and solar power construction dry up…Mr. Obama [therefore] seems likely [despite doubts about its political viability] to push now for a vote on a climate-energy bill…

"Obama has already taken two steps intended to make compromise easier (though they angered many environmentalists and Democrats)…[H]e opened parts of the Atlantic, Gulf, and north Alaska coasts to oil and natural-gas exploration…[and promised] $36 billion in loan guarantees for nuclear-power construction…[These concessions to Republicans] may enable Obama's Senate allies to craft a deal on carbon-emissions pricing…"

Solar grew somewhat despite the recession thanks to Obama administration policies. (click to enlarge)

"…Sens. John Kerry (D) of Massachusetts, Joseph Lieberman (I) of Connecticut, and Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina are expected to unwrap a compromise energy-climate bill that puts a price on carbon emissions in exchange for nuclear and oil development…[L]ong-term questions remain…[including] Can [the Prsident] slash greenhouse-gas emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels, by 2020?

"The good news is that even aggressive policies to slow climate change will not necessarily slam the brakes on the economy…High fuel taxes and high prices on carbon emissions would curb US economic growth by no more than one percentage point…[Some say Obama can yet pull off an overall energy-climate bill…"