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Renewable Energy

In Brief

John Kerry and George Bush discuss renewable energy primarily in terms of national security, with a reduction of the U.S.A's dependance upon foreign oil as a primary concern. Both candidates mention funding for hydrogen usage and storage research.
In Detail

Energy Plans

Both Bush's and Kerry's energy plans call for reducing America's dependence on foreign oil and are focused on the stability of the US energy supply. George Bush established the National Energy Policy Development Group in his second week in office, and has quietly made energy a priority in his presidency. This group crafted the President's National Energy Policy 1, which alludes to renewable energy by suggesting "a clean and affordable diversity of fuels for our future electricity supply" and "[increased] domestic energy supplies through advanced alternative technologies." According to the administration, approximately three quarters of the recommendations were "administrative in nature, and the great majority of them have been completed."

John Kerry has proposed a number of steps to take2, 3 to reduce the USA's "dependence on foreign oil."4 These steps include "increasing the usage of 'domestically available' renewable fuels" and "increasing renewable energy production via incentives for producers, incentives for investment, and funding and support for more research."

Cape Wind

The Boston-based company Cape Wind Associates has proposed a project to build 130 wind turbines off of the coast of Cape Cod, which will be the USA's "first offshore wind park." 5 As of April 29, 2004, Kerry has not given his position on the project; he is "awaiting the environmental impact statement." 6 The situation places Kerry in a tough position; if he comes out against the project, he risks attack from Republicans, but if he comes out in support of the project, he "risks alienating [Sen. Edward] Kennedy," who has given significant support to John Kerry's campaign, but is opposed to Cape Wind.

Hydrogen

George Bush has funded a major long-term research initiative into hydrogen-powered vehicles to reduce dependence on foreign oil and to reduce urban pollution. Hydrogen is an energy carrier and not an energy source in itself; the hydrogen needs to be made from some energy source. The president's plan calls for development into making the hydrogen from domestic coal, nuclear, and renewables.

Kerry touts "$5 billion for Hydrogen Research with specific goals" on his campaign website. 7 One of these goals is the creation of a Hydrogen Institute "to fund research to develop a hydrogen-based energy economy by 2020." 8

Funding for Renewables

Bush has received wide criticism for proposing cutting of funds for renewable energy programs. In his first budget, Bush proposed that renewable energy funding be cut from $376 million the previous year to $276 million; he later reversed his position and endorsed returning spending to its previous level. 9 In the president's current budget proposal, much renewable energy research funding has been reduced in favor of funding for the hydrogen-powered automobile project. 10



References:
  1. Improving Air Quality and Increasing Energy Efficiency, Safety, and Reliability
  2. John Kerry for President - A Plan For American Leadership In Energy Technology
  3. John Kerry for President - A Plan To Explore And Develop New Energy Sources
  4. John Kerry for President - Energy
  5. Cape Wind :: America's First Offshore Wind Farm in Nantucket Sound
  6. Kerry waiting it out on wind farm report (April 29, 2004)
  7. John Kerry for President - Moving Towards Energy Independence vs. Putting Enron First
  8. The League of Conservation Voters : Sen. John Kerry: Speech on Energy
  9. Bush requested $100 million less in renewable funding in his first-year energy budget. Congress increased this back to the previous year's level in their version of the budget. http://www.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/06/27/bush.energy/
  10. Bush's FY04 budget proposal has large cuts for renewable energy: 19.5% for bioenergy, 5.5% for wind energy, and 3.8% for geothermal. http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release.cfm?newsID=328 . His proposed budget did have an increase in H2 funding to make up the difference: http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/19694/story.htm
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