Renewable Fuels
What role do renewable fuels play in the policy?

Each of the policies that addresses this issue and their proposed steps are below:
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 proposed by The United States Congress

The 2007 Energy Bill increases the required level of renewable fuels in the United States’ transportation energy supply.  The target levels for 2008 are increased from 5.4 to 7.5 billion gallons; the levels for 2022 are quadrupled from 9 billion to 36 billion.  Beginning in 2016, the plan requires that biofuels comprise the entire increase in renewable fuels. 


The New Energy for America Plan (The Obama Plan) proposed by Barack Obama for President

The Obama Plan will require 10% of the nation’s electricity to be supplied by renewable sources of energy by 2012 and 25% to be supplied by renewable sources by 2025.  The Plan will retain a federal tax credit for the production of renewable sources in order to meet the requirement.


Green Recovery Program proposed by Center for American Progress

The Plan outlines strong investment in solar, wind and biofuel technology, but does not set specific standards for renewable fuels as a percentage of total energy or electricity production.  Instead, it promotes investment in the development of these fuels through extending and expanding tax incentives for investment in these technologies.


California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 proposed by California State Assembly and the State Air Resources Board

The California Plan mandates that one-third of all electricity production come from renewable fuels by 2020.


EU Climate and Energy Plan proposed by European Union

The EU Plan requires the expansion of renewable fuel production to 20% of total energy production.  It specifically stresses the use of wind, solar, biomass and hydrogen fuels.


Make Clean Energy Cheaper proposed by The Brookings Institution, Mark Muro and Teryn Norris
The policy is intended to develop efficient renewable fuels and integrate them into the national economy through novel research institutes.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (Waxman-Markey) proposed by Rep. Henry Waxman, Rep. Ed Markey
The Act seeks to increase the proportion of the energy suppoly that comes from renewable sources of energy (wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, hydropower, etc.) to 20%.

Green Bank proposed by Center for American Progress, John Podesta and Karen Kornbluh
The Green Bank does not endorse the development of one renewable energy source over another; instead, it enables the investment in a variety of renewable sources of energy.  While omnibus energy plans are designed to lay out broad principles, the Green Bank facilitates the implementation of specific environmental projects that integrate renewable energy.

Loan Guarantees for Nuclear Plant Construction proposed by President Barack Obama, The White House
The proposal promotes the use of nuclear energy by guaranteeing loans to those organizations building nuclear power reactors.

"Jumpstarting a Clean Energy Revolution" proposed by The Breakthrough Institute, Josh Freed, Avi Zevin, and Jesse Jenkins
The proposal argues that the current renewable fuel technologies are not developed enough to compete with fossil fuel alternatives. Thus, it is necessary for the federal government to make supplemental investments in clean energy research and design. The proposal calls for the establishment of National Institutes of Energy to host the R&D.

Coming Soon
Re-imagining Community Colleges (CAP) in Education by Center for American Progress



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Policies Related to this Issue
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 proposed by The United States Congress
The New Energy for America Plan (The Obama Plan) proposed by Barack Obama for President
Green Recovery Program proposed by Center for American Progress
California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 proposed by California State Assembly and the State Air Resources Board
EU Climate and Energy Plan proposed by European Union
Make Clean Energy Cheaper proposed by The Brookings Institution, Mark Muro and Teryn Norris
The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (Waxman-Markey) proposed by Rep. Henry Waxman, Rep. Ed Markey
Green Bank proposed by Center for American Progress, John Podesta and Karen Kornbluh
Loan Guarantees for Nuclear Plant Construction proposed by President Barack Obama, The White House
"Jumpstarting a Clean Energy Revolution" proposed by The Breakthrough Institute, Josh Freed, Avi Zevin, and Jesse Jenkins