Joseph J. Romm's Blog, page 1275

Senator Kerry explains the strategy and substance of the American Power Act: "It strengthens the Clean Air Act by expanding the authority of the EPA and making that authority permanent." - He expects Lindsey Graham will support the bill. Senate Majority W

UPDATE:  You can find the bill, summaries, and 1-pagers here.

… our planet can't wait for the perfect bill. We need to get a really good bill now, one that reduces carbon pollution and puts us on a path to a clean energy future. And if we do this, I know we can get a tough international agreement to deal with this global problem. Those are the two things I remind myself of every day when it comes to this bill.  Those are the two things I remind myself of every day when it comes to this...

Senator Kerry explains the strategy and substance of the American Power Act: "It strengthens the Clean Air Act by expanding the authority of the EPA and making that authority permanent." - He expects Lindsey Graham will support the bill. Senate Majority W

… our planet can't wait for the perfect bill. We need to get a really good bill now, one that reduces carbon pollution and puts us on a path to a clean energy future. And if we do this, I know we can get a tough international agreement to deal with this global problem. Those are the two things I remind myself of every day when it comes to this bill.  Those are the two things I remind myself of every day when it comes to this bill.

You've got to keep your eye on the prize. Bottom-line —...

American Power Act Empowers Americans - An Examination of Benefits to Americans in the Clean Energy Bill

The Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act jump-starts efforts to adopt comprehensive clean energy and climate polices that would cut oil use, increase security, reduce pollution, and create jobs.  Daniel J. Weiss, CAP's Director of Climate Strategy, details the benefits the bill would provide to everyday Americans in this repost.

Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) plan to release a discussion draft today of their long-awaited American Power Act. The bill is designed to...

Comparing the American Power Act with the House climate bill and clean energy jobs bill

Last night, Climate Progress examined the key provisions of the American Power Act, the comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation being introduced today by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT).  This Wonk Room repost by Brad Johnson compares key elements of Obama's campaign promises from 2007 and 2008, the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act as passed by the House of Representatives, and the elements of the Kerry-Lieberman draft...

Energy and Global Warming News for May 12: Light pipes boost organic solar efficiency; Solar could provide 25% of global electricity by 2050 — IEA; Energy gets surge in public opinion; Conservatives tend to conserve less energy — study

This prototype solar panel is covered with optical fibers. Photons bounce around inside the fibers before being absorbed, and this doubles the panel's efficiency compared to regular organic cells.

"Light Pipes" Boost Organic Solar Efficiency

Researchers in North Carolina have developed a way to more than double the performance of organic solar cells by adding a layer of upright optical fibers that act as sunlight traps.

David Carroll, a professor of physics at Wake Forest University, led...

Bingaman rebukes Lieberman's oil disaster excuse that 'accidents happen'

Last week, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) defended the inclusion of expanded offshore drilling in the climate bill he will unveil tomorrow, brushing off the deadly Gulf disaster by saying that "accidents happen":

There were good reasons for us to put in offshore drilling, and this terrible accident is very rare in drilling. I mean, accidents happen. You learn from them and you try not to make sure they don't happen again.

Today, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), chair of the Senate energy...

Heritage concocts flawed analysis to demonstrate supposed harms of using renewable energy

The Heritage Foundation opposes energy efficiency.  And they recently lost their grip on reality, calling science "magic."   So it's no surprise that they are trying to  mislead the public about how a renewable electricity standard (RES) would impact electric bills.  CAPAF's Richard Caperton has the debunking.

In a piece posted to their website on May 5, "A Renewable Electricity Standard: What it Will Really Cost Americans", several researchers from Heritage's Center for Data Analysis claim t...

American Power Act to create millions of clean energy jobs, slash pollution and oil use, while boosting U.S. farmers and manufacturers - Bill "eliminates the possibility of market manipulation" and "from day one, two-thirds of revenues not dedicated to red

Kerry and Lieberman have apparently been waiting for a sign from above to release their climate and clean energy jobs bill, the American Power Act.  Instead, the unmistakable message that we need to get off of dirty, unsafe fossil fuels came from an undersea volcano of oil unleashed by the hubris, recklessness, and arrogance of Big Oil.

You can read the leaked 21-page draft Section-by-Section description of the American Power Act here (big PDF).  You can read the leaked 4-page "draft short...

American Power Act to create millions of clean energy jobs, slash pollution and oil use, while boosting U.S. farmers and manufacturers - Bill "eliminates the possibility of market manipulation" and "from day one, two-thirds of revenues not dedicated to red

Kerry and Lieberman have apparently been waiting for a sign from above to release their climate and clean energy jobs bill, the American Power Act.  Instead, the unmistakable message that we need to get off of dirty, unsafe fossil fuels came from an undersea volcano of oil unleashed by the hubris, recklessness, and arrogance of Big Oil.

You can read the leaked 21-page draft Section-by-Section description of the American Power Act here (big PDF).  You can read the leaked 4-page "draft short...

American Power Act to create millions of clean energy jobs, slash pollution and oil use, while boosting U.S. farmers and manufacturers - Bill "eliminates the possibility of market manipulation" and "from day one, two-thirds of revenues not dedicated to red

Kerry and Lieberman have apparently been waiting for a sign from above to release their climate and clean energy jobs bill, the American Power Act.  Instead, the unmistakable message that we need to get off of dirty, unsafe fossil fuels came from an undersea volcano of oil unleashed by the hubris, recklessness, and arrogance of Big Oil.

You can read the leaked 21-page draft Section-by-Section description of the American Power Act here (big PDF).  You can read the leaked 4-page "draft short...