The House passed a wide-ranging energy bill that will require most utilities to produce 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar power, The New York Times reports. President Bush has vowed to veto the bill.
The bill allots money for the development of alternative fuels and for increased efficiency of appliances and buildings. The House also passed a bill to repeal roughly $16 billion in tax breaks for the oil industry enacted in 2005.
The utilities provision will force utilities to make a significant share of their electricity from solar, wind, geothermal, water and other nonfossil fuel sources, although they can meet part of the requirement through conservation measures.
The standard applies only to investor-owned utilities and exempts rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the state of Hawaii from the mandate.
The 786-page House energy bill does not include an increase in fuel-efficiency standards for cars and light trucks.
The Senate passed energy legislation in June.
The bill the House passed on Saturday sets new requirements for energy efficiency in appliances and government buildings and outlaws the sale of 100-watt incandescent light bulbs by 2012.
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