November 16, 2005

Americans want to see federal funding, tax incentives and appliance efficiency standards to promote renewable energy and energy-efficient technology programs, according to a recently released poll.

For the third year in a row, a majority (56 percent) of all voters, and nearly two-thirds (66 percent) of those expressing a preference, would give the highest priority to funding the U.S. Department of Energy’s renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development programs. On the other hand, nearly a third (31 percent) of respondents selected nuclear power as the first R&D program that should be subject to budget cuts, followed by fossil fuels (21 percent).

The public opinion poll, "America Speaks Out on Energy: A Survey of 1996 Post-Election Views", was conducted from Nov. 9-14 among a sample of 1,200 registered voters and has a margin of error of +/-2.9 percent. It was conducted for the Sustainable Energy Coalition by the Republican polling firm of Research/Strategy/Management Inc. of Lanham, Md.

With most Americans viewing global climate change as a serious environmental threat, the majority favor the United States signing an international agreement to set a binding deadline for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the poll. And as Congress and many states consider legislation to deregulate the electric utility industry, voters made clear that they want provisions included to mandate renewable energy, energy efficiency and environmental protection and they want utilities and shareholders—not consumers—to bear the cost for uneconomic "stranded nuclear assets".

The 15 questions addressed federal funding of energy research and development, the U.S. EPA Green Lights and Energy Star programs, nuclear pyroprocessing, tax support for ethanol and other energy sources, appliance efficiency standards, the seriousness of global climate change, and an international agreement to control greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, the survey posed a series of questions on the topic of restructuring the electric utility industry, which the new Congress is expected to debate early next year. Specific topics addressed include mandating that electricity generators include renewable energy sources in their mix; using a Renewable Portfolio Standard to promote increased use of renewables, requiring utilities to invest in energy efficiency measures, disposing of so-called "stranded nuclear assets;" and establishing comparable environmental standards for all utility fossil-fueled plants.

For more information, contact Henry Griggs, (202)326-8714, visit Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program, or see ENN file 12mass24.txt.

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New Energy Efficiency Tax Credits Take Effect

New energy efficiency tax credits went into effect on January 1st, making it easier for U.S. families and businesses to reduce energy costs at home, at work, and on the road. As part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the new tax credits will allow consumers to reduce their 2006 tax bills on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to the amount allowed under the law. For example, consumers who purchase the most fuel-efficient vehicles could reduce their tax liability by up to $3,400, while those who install energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in the home can receive up to $500 off of their federal tax bill.

Specific tax benefits for the home include $50 for purchasing an advanced main air circulating fan; $150 for installing a highly efficient furnace or boiler; $200 for installing energy efficient windows; $300 for purchasing a highly efficient central air conditioner, heat pump, or water heater; and 30 percent of the purchase cost, up to $2000, for solar power and solar water heating equipment (this does not apply to equipment used to heat swimming pools or hot tubs).

Businesses may be eligible for credits such as a 30 percent tax credit for the installation of qualifying solar equipment on buildings. Companies that build highly energy efficient homes or manufacture energy-efficient appliances can also earn tax credits. See the DOE press release and for more details, see the Energy Tax Incentives Web site from the Tax Incentives Assistance Project.

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Keeping Your Energy Supplies Adequate and Affordable

Even if fuel was free, you would still have many reasons to use it efficiently:

Reduce pollution	Fuel combustion releases particles and gasses that damage the health of all living things. Radioactive gasses are released into the air by both nuclear and coal fired power plants. Use the Electricity Label Generator to see how much pollution is released when your electricity is produced.
Delay the onset and severity of fossil fuel shortages	The oil crisis a widely respected book detailing the results of studies by Dr. Colin J. Campbell and others. It provides strong evidence that world petroleum output will peak during the first decade of the 21st century and will decline rapidly thereafter. WORLD OIL PRODUCTION PEAK NOW OFFICIAL In case you missed the news, during their recent meeting, the G8 group of nations accepted a report from the International Energy Agency which concludes that world oil production will, indeed, peak on or about 2010 and that by 2020, production will begin to decline, with potentially serious consequences to the world's developed and developing nations. Put This in Your Pipeline and Smoke It: Domestic oil and gas is not the ticket to U.S. energy security.
Reduce the potential for extreme global warming and climate changes	Global warming and climate change may be caused, or made worse, by the continuing increase of atmospheric greenhouse gasses released during fuel combustion.

While the timing is uncertain, fossil fuel shortages are inevitable and may begin soon. We should prepare for fuel shortages while we still have enough fuel left to improve energy efficiency and build enough renewable energy systems to survive without fossil fuels.

If you take the amount of fuel available during any future year, and subtract the amount needed for immediately essential uses, then only the amount remaining will be available to develop renewable energy supplies and improve energy efficiency.

• Greatly improving energy efficiency now will delay the onset of severe fuel shortages and higher fuel prices.
• Developing adequate renewable energy supplies may not be possible if we wait until fossil fuels become much more scarce and expensive.

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Public favors funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency

June 4, 1999

Americans believe renewable energy and energy efficiency should be given funding priority by the Department of Energy, according to a national survey released by a sustainable energy group. The survey also indicated that those polled believe nuclear power and fossil fuels should be the first technologies subject to funding cuts. The survey results directly contradict House and Senate appropriation committees votes May 25, 1999 to cut Department of Energy programs for renewable energy and energy efficiency and increase funding for nuclear and fossil fuels programs. The survey was performed by Research/Strategy/Management Inc. of Sterling, Va., from May 10-18, 1999 and included a sample of 1,029 adult Americans. The survey was commissioned by the Sustainable Energy Coalition, a group of 35 national business, environmental and consumer organizations dedicated to promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. This was the seventh public opinion survey commissioned by the coalition. When asked which of five research and development areas in the Department of Energy should receive the highest funding priority, 37 percent said renewable energy; 25 percent said technologies to improve energy efficiency and conservation; 7 percent said natural gas; 8 percent said fossil fuels such as oil, gasoline and coal; and 8 percent said nuclear power. On the other hand, 31 percent of respondents selected nuclear power as the first research and development program that should be subject to budget cuts followed by fossil fuels at 21 percent. Only 5 percent would cut funding for energy efficiency research and development while just 9 percent would reduce the renewable energy budget.

Other key findings include:

• 78 percent of respondents support including a renewable energy portfolio standard that requires 10 percent of electricity be generated from solar, wind, geothermal and biomass sources as part of federal electric utility restructuring legislation.
• 59 percent favor creating a public benefits fund, supported by a 2-3 percent surcharge on utility bills, to fund energy efficiency, low-income energy assistance, and renewable energy R&D programs.
• 89 percent said electricity providers should be required to tell their customers the type of fuel being used to generate electricity as well as the type and amounts of air pollutants being emitted.
• 76 percent believe electric utility shareholders, and not their customers, should be required to pay off the cost of uneconomic nuclear power plants as the utility industry is deregulated.
• 80 percent of respondents favor tax incentives to increase the use of renewable energy for the production of electricity either strongly (45 percent] or at least somewhat (36 percent).
• 77 percent support incentives for the purchase of automobiles that are at least twice as energy efficient as the average new car either strongly (46 percent) or at least somewhat (31 percent).
• 83 percent support tax incentives to spur the purchase of new homes that are at least 30 percent more energy efficient than the average new home either strongly (51 percent) or at least somewhat (32 percent).
• 84 percent of those surveyed believe tax incentives should be made available to encourage the purchase of home heating and cooling systems that are at least 30 percent more energy-efficient with a majority (51 percent) agreeing strongly and another third (33 percent) agreeing at least somewhat.

It is no surprise that the Sustainable Energy Coalition would be touting the results of this survey, but the approach they took to construct the survey may come as a surprise. They selected a Republican polling firm, according to Ken Bossong of the SUN DAY Campaign, a coalition member, and asked the pollster to prepare the questions in such a way that they would focus interest away from their desired results. The people surveyed were also less than a sympathetic audience, said Bossong.

Copies of the 50-page survey, "America Speaks Out on Energy: Budget Priorities, Electric Utility Restructuring, and Tax Incentives" are available for $15 (pre-paid) from the coalition, 315 Circle Avenue, #2; Takoma Park, Md. 20912-4836.

Additional Sources of Information:

• Energy Savers: Tips on Saving Energy and Money at Home — U.S. Department of Energy
• Controlling Indoor Air Pressure to Protect Health and Conserve Energy
• 2003 Integrated Energy Policy Report
• Demand Side Management
• An Energy Independent America
• The Battle of the Pump
• Avoiding Electrical Blackouts
• Make Energy-Efficient Technology Mandatory, UN Expert Says
• Clean energy and efficiency investments would create 3.3 million jobs, says study
• Growing U.S. Need for Oil From the Mideast Is Forecast

• U.S. Department of Energy's Building America Program for reducing energy consumption without raising construction costs

• Will your energy supplies soon become scarce and expensive?
• Peak Oil news and message boards
• The Approaching Energy Crisis — Albuquerque Tribune
• Is There A Natural Gas Crisis Ahead? (pdf format)
• Finding the Peak — Matthew Simmons
• Rocky Mountain Institute's Solutions Newsletter, Fall-Winter 2003
• Rocky Mountain Institute's Solutions Newsletter, Fall-Winter 2004
• Apollo Alliance
• Energy Savers: Tips on Saving Energy and Money at Home
• Energy Innovations: A Prosperous Path to a Clean Environment
• Increasing Clean Power and Energy Conservation Would Save Money
• Wind Power: Clean, Sustainable, and Affordable
• The Twenty First Century: The World's Endowment of Conventional Oil and its Depletion
• Depletion and U.S. Energy Policy
• The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies

• The Coming Oil Crisis

• Peak Oil: An Outlook on Crude Oil Depletion
• Efficiency Vermont: Saving large amounts of electricity for less than the cost of generating the same amounts.

• Methane Madness: A Natural Gas Primer

• Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

• What's At Stake In The Energy Debate?

• Oil: The Other Iraq War — MSNBC News
• Energy: Which Way Will We Go?
• The Interfaith Coalition on Energy
• Joy Ride to Global Collapse
• Other Voices (information to help you understand and survive the coming shortages of oil and natural gas)
• The Heat is Online — Ross Gelbspan

• Renewable Energy

• U.S. Department of Energy

• How avoiding excessive meat consumption can conserve fossil fuel and protect health

"For in the end,
We will conserve only what we love,
We will love only what we understand,
We will understand only what we are taught".
—Baba Dioum