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02.08

Energy Bill an Important Step Toward Energy Independence

By Bill Williams

On 19 December 2007, President Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act (H.R.6). The bill passed with overwhelming support in both the House of Representatives (314-100) and the Senate (86-8). The most significant component of the comprehensive legislation is a provision to require the auto manufacturers to boost fuel economy standards for cars, light trucks and sports utility vehicles to an average of 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020. The bill also mandates a roughly five-fold increase in ethanol production to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022.

Left out of the final bill, however, were provisions contained in earlier versions to require investor owned utilities to produce 11 to 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020, and a $22 billion energy tax incentive package for renewable energy, efficiency measures and other technologies. The tax incentives were contained in earlier versions of the bill, but were dropped due to opposition from the Bush Administration and others in Congress because they were to have been paid for by raising taxes on oil companies. Congress failed to reach consensus on these sections of the bill and they were eventually abandoned to help smooth the way for passage of the final legislation.

The energy bill also contained two provisions that are of particular interest to IEEE members. The first is language that authorizes $95 million to develop a competitive grants program to encourage the use of plug-in electric drive vehicles or other emerging electric vehicle technologies. The grants will be provided on a cost-shared basis to state and local governments, metropolitan transportation authorities, or even private or non-profit entities. Also included in this section are provisions to develop a nationwide electric drive transportation technology education program, which will include an electric vehicle competition and financial assistance to colleges to create new or support existing degree programs to ensure the availability of trained electrical and mechanical engineers to work on plug-in electric or other forms of electric drive transportation vehicles.

IEEE-USA’s advocacy effort on Capitol Hill for PHEVs was concerned that the legislation came up short in promoting plug-in hybrid technology. “Many in the technology community feel strongly that plug-in hybrid vehicles can play a significant role in promoting U.S. energy independence, mitigating global climate change and enhancing our national security,” said Tom Gentile, chair of IEEE-USA's Energy Policy Committee. “We encourage Congress and the President to follow up on this legislation in the coming year to provide incentives to facilitate a greater adoption and penetration of plug-in electric hybrid vehicles.” [For more information on IEEE-USA’s position on Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles, go to http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/positions/PHEV0607.pdf.]

The second item of interest to IEEE members calls for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to coordinate with the IEEE and other organizations to develop protocols and standards for the nascent Smart Grid technology for the nation’s electricity grid. Additionally, the bill contains measures phasing out inefficient incandescent light bulbs, improving appliance efficiency standards as well as other conservation measures.

A more subtle, but just as important aspect of the legislation, according to Gentile, is the emphasis on the use of energy efficient products and processes to reduce reliance on imported energy sources. “Over and above the obvious bill language,” he said, “there is an implied message to the American people that energy efficiency is very important to our society and we must make changes in the way we live. In general, any new products, system design, re-design, or network integration needs to take efficiency into consideration.”

IEEE-USA President Dr. Russell Lefevre agrees that the bill is an important first step but cautioned that much more still needs to be done to move the United States towards true energy independence. “We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history,” said Lefevre. “We can continue our reliance on energy from a volatile, unstable region of the world, or we can start utilizing the technology that is available here and now to reduce the nation’s demand for imported oil.” What is needed, according to Lefevre, is “bold leadership from Congress and the Administration, and the innovative, pioneer spirit that has made the United States the historical technological leader of the free world.”

Bill Williams is IEEE-USA's legislative representative for technology policy activities. Comments may be submitted to todaysengineer@ieee.org.