Obama's Energy Plans

Energy policy is a large issue in green politics. The way American taxes are spent on energy infrastructure will shape the green political landscape for some time to come. A fact sheet on BarackObama.com gives a great outline for the new administration’s energy policies/beliefs.

“The Obama-Biden comprehensive New Energy for America plan will:
• Provide short‐term relief to American families facing pain at the pump
• Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.
• Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined
• Put 1 million Plug‐In Hybrid cars – cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon – on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America
• Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025
• Implement an economy‐wide cap‐and‐trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050

When viewing the “Barack Obama and Joe Biden: New Energy for America” make sure to view the specific policies to get a sense of what the public might see over the next 4 years. This is a comprehensive overview which includes everything thing from building “The Transmission Superhighway” to investing in Alaskan oil pipelines.
Government spending on new oil pipelines seems counterproductive to the overall goals of self sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. It is clearly stated that Obama wishes to “prioritize the construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.” The only thing backing this project is $18 billion in loan guarantees so due to the credit crisis the oil pipeline project will not be jump started.