Obama: The Future of the Auto-Industry, Green-Fuel Surcharge
Barak Obama was on Meet the Press this weekend, and gave some insight into his plans for the US Auto-Industry and possibility of a fuel-surcharge
What do you think about $4/gallon gas mandate that Brokaw puts forth? I think Obama had the correct response, but it’s clear that cheap gas literally kills new investment in alternative energy solutions.
Comment ·
A Real Plan for Automakers and America
Congress will likely consider a “bailout” for the auto-industry today, Monday, Dec. 8, 2008. It is an opportunity for Flex-Fuel legislation (Open Fuel Standard Act) to pass as well.
Congress should require that new cars run on any mix of gasoline and ethanol and methanol. As a reminder, in the war on oil-dependence, this would be a game-changer.
The facts:
1) Flex-fuel is an inexpensive, proven technology.
a. Cost is $100 per vehicle for new cars.
b. The original flex-fuel vehicle was the Model-T (for 17 years).
c. The US auto industry currently has over 4.4 million flex-fuel cars on US roads (but few would know it).
d. Brazil consumes ethanol (from sugar-cane) for over 50% of its fuel requirements.
2) The cost of oil will rise again
a. OPEC has already cut production by 1.5 million barrels per day.
b. And is considering an additional cut of more than 2.5 million additional barrels per day (later this week).
c. Demand for oil from China and India, with vastly growing middle-classes, inevitably will rise again.
d. The easiest to extract oil on earth has been tapped, and it gets more difficult as time goes on.
e. Oil is still $30/barrel higher than its 10 year historic low.
3) National-security demands that we reduce our dependence.
a. Russia, Venezuela, and OPEC are repressive, regressive, and often anti-American oil exporters.
b. We fund their misbehaviors and we end up supporting terrorism.
c. We cannot hope to modify the goals of a nuclear-intentioned Iran when we are so dependent and while they control the waterway through which 20% of world’s oil passes daily.
4) Economic strength demands that we reduce our dependence.
a. We are exporting millions of jobs that could otherwise be producing our fuel domestically.
b. We could be “recycling” these domestically spend dollars-at a time in which we need it so badly.
c. We could be developing the technologies that will fuel the future of the energy marketplace globally.
5) Many solutions.
a. We also need solar, nuclear, wind, and drilling.
b. But we need Flex-Fuel biofuels NOW as the surest short-term path to addressing our dependecies and to create security and economic strength.
c. The best time to get the auto-makers to cooperate is while they need a “bailout”.
6) Please, contact your Senator today–not tomorrow.
a. Call (202) 224-3121 and ask to be transferred to your Senator’s office.
b. You can make a difference with just a phone call.
c. Call both of your Senators.
Reprinted w/ Permission from MoveBeyondOil.org
E-mail: info@movebeyondoil.org
Phone: 516-717-0000
US Govt gives automakers $25B in loans; drops fuel-efficiency mandate
|
By Peter Forman |
|
The United States continues to “perpetuate” a broken auto industry. Because of pressure from Detroit, unions, and Michigan lawmakers, the “Big Three” auto makers have been insulated from the real market-place of competition for the past 30 years. The Japanese and Germans have figured out how to build cars in the American South profitably–but not the Big Three. That’s fine and good except now we have a completely broken auto industry that is unable to compete. Now exposed to declining demand and lacking access to “cheap” capital, they are likely to disappear in their current forms–even after we spend untold billions in short-term assistance. The move, aimed at ending what the White House called partisan “gridlock,” represents a significant escalation in the political battle over aid to the Big Three auto makers. This is ahead of an expected showdown next week in Congress between Democrats and Republicans. While we are unlikely to ever see a return of these funds, the car companies could at least agree to manufacture all cars beginning in 2012 with flex-fuel compatibility and continues progress towards EVs (electric vehicles). Without at least those commitments, what will we have to show for this “investment”? Demand that your Congressperson and Senator act–call today! |
Used w/ Permission: MoveBeyondOil.org
Comment ·
Citizens for Energy Freedom Founding Conference, January 2009 at Florida Atlantic University
Join me at the The Citizens for Energy Freedom Founding Conference this January at Florida Atlantic University for the founding meeting of this new grassroots energy-independence campaign.
The Citizens for Energy Freedom Founding Conference
January 17th & 18th, 2009
at Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida
Announced last month at the Energy Freedom Summit in Chicago, this two day convention will feature a series of talks and panels by leading experts on energy, economics, technology, national security, and politics.
Invited guests include:
- Sen. Mel Martinez
- Sen. Bill Nelson
- Sen. Hillary Clinton
- and Former Speaker Newt Gingrich
If tailored after the Energy Freedom Summit, this will be an intense two day collection of industry and government experts at panels, presentations, discussions, and workshops focused tightly on educating and motivating attendees to help organize to support a workable energy independence plan. Bring a notebook!
Sign up today at the bottom of this page to reserve your seat at this conference.
I’ve already reserved mine. :)
What Should Obama’s Energy Policy Include/Exclude?
Senator Obama ran a brilliant campaign and yesterday a majority of Americans voted him in to the Office of the President of the United States. While there is certainly reason to celebrate today, in a few short months he will inherit a failed energy policy, one in desperate need of change – but exactly what kind of change?
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.
In the past Obama has been a friend of the ethanol industry, supporting the subsidies that enabled the young industry to flourish in his home state (and surrounding states) early by encouraging private investment and innovation. He recently said corn ethanol is not “optimal” when compared with sugar cane ethanol, a comparison that is not entirely fair, since corn ethanol production produces feed for livestock as a byproduct.
Will he continue to support the ethanol subsidies, and work to raise the “blend wall” on E10 from 10% to a higher figure? (Ethanol production is about to “cap” out due to the lack of market for it’s excess product.) There is no mention of the Flex-Fuel Vehicle in the bullet points above, although it would be the cheapest fastest method for reducing (in a meaningful way) America’s transportation reliance on oil.
So, besides encouraging fuel conservation and mandating FFV’s w/ the Open Fuels Standard Act, what else should President Obama’s energy policy include and exclude?
Comments are open, but moderated to reduce spam.
Comment ·
