Sustainable Energy Network Releases Blueprint On Energy

October 11, 2006

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Last week, 145 businesses, environmental organizations, and other groups (representing 37 states) released the “Sustainable Energy Blueprint – a policy paper that outlines a “plausible strategy for achieving a no-nuclear, low-carbon, highly-efficient and sustainable energy future.

The “Sustainable Energy Blueprint (via Pollution Online) provides a timeframe and series of policy recommendations for rapidly expanding the use of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies to enable a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gases while simultaneously phasing out nuclear power and ending most energy imports.

It argues that three primary, longer-term objectives for the nation’s energy policy should be:

1. reducing greenhouse gas emissions to a level consistent with a world-wide goal of global climate stabilization (assumes curbing U.S. CO2 emissions by 60-80 percent from current levels by mid-century);

2. eliminating U.S. energy imports (i.e., oil and natural gas – now 58 percent and 15 percent respectively), while reducing overall use of oil and natural gas;

3. phasing out the current generation of nuclear power while substantially curbing the production and consumption of fossil fuels, by increasing the use of energy efficiency and making a transition to sustainable, environmentally safer renewable energy sources.

Towards this end, it suggests a 2025 energy scenario in which total energy use is reduced by 20 percent, renewable energy provides more than 20 percent of domestic energy supplies, natural gas imports are eliminated, oil imports are cut by more than 40 percent, greenhouse gas emissions are 20 percent below current levels, and nuclear power is almost completely phased out.

By 2050, the “Sustainable Energy Blueprint envisions a domestic energy mix in which energy efficiency improvements have reduced energy use from present levels by 40 percent, renewables account for at least half of total energy supplies, greenhouse gas emissions have been slashed by two-thirds from 2005 levels, fossil fuel imports have ceased, and nuclear power is no longer in use.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Make sustainability part of your strategy.

Get equipped at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader