Slashing Energy Use

A new bill passed today by the U.S. House of Representatives could bring big energy savings, according to a preliminary analysis by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. The bill could face a battle in the Senate, and President Bush has threatened to veto it.

According to the press release, the bill could save three times more energy than a 2005 bill.

More than half the energy savings in the bill come from the biggest increase in vehicle fuel economy standards since the 1970s plus initiation of a program to develop fuel economy standards for medium and heavy trucks.

The bill also includes major savings from new efficiency standards for lamps, appliances, and other products (accounting for about 20% of the 2030 savings); extensions and enhancements of tax incentives enacted in the 2005 energy bill; a new commercial building program designed to dramatically reduce commercial sector energy use over several decades (about 8% of the savings); a new tax incentive for combined heat and power (CHP) and recycled energy; and a Renewable Electricity Standard that includes energy efficiency.