When it comes to Congress , all middle and ears right now are on the Republicans , and their fated battle to pass the Better Care and Reconciliationhealthcare act . While this altercation is going on , however , several other bills have been introduced in the House and Senate – somegood , some bad , and one very awful one .
Named theEnergy and Natural Resources Act of 2017 , this bill is an endeavor to shake up the room American Energy Department is produced , bought and betray . It ’s a bipartizan flier introduced by Senators Lisa Murkowski ( R - Alaska ) and Maria Cantwell ( D - Washington ) .
in good order now , in general , the GOP are the pro - fossil fuel company and the Democrats are the pro - clean vigor party – unless they ’re from Department of State that heavily swear on ember – so you ’d expect this bill to be fair moderate , striking a “ balance ” between the two . Sadly , no : wind and solar power are not mentioned once , except in passing .
Under the subdivision entitled “ Supply , ” which explains how America will get its electricity , confidential information and solar power are observably wanting . rather , oil and gasoline are conspicuously mentioned . A scheme to minefrozen natural gasreserves from the seafloor – something China and Japan are already doing – is also highlighted .
Only hydroelectric power and geothermal mogul gets a mention when it comes to renewables . Although both of these are welcome sources of clean energy , their effectiveness at battle mood change , and their limited geographic range , make them a far less appealing option than wind and solar .
The bill does let in a fair bit of text explaining how edifice will be made more energy effective , and conservation and climate change are note here and there . The two most price - effective and C - neutral energy schemes are at no point given any kind of excrescence or even attention . This is craziness .
Wind and solar power areproliferatingacross the world , and the US , at aremarkable rate . They are almost as cheap as fossil fuels and are arrange to get exponentially more affordable year - on - twelvemonth . Cities , states , businesses , and governments are investing heavy in these energy sources , and marketplace power are inexorably moving in their counselling .
One recent comprehensive analysis distinctly shows the economic and environmental benefits of both . If just 4 percent of the human race ’s electrical energy was father bywindpower by 2050 , and if 10 percent was generated bysolar , 122 billion tonnes of CO2would be saved , and $ 12.4 trillion would be mother in revenue , far offsetting the execution costs .
This bill , S.1460 , will only ascertain that America misses out on this incredible resource . It may be purpose to take American push into the future , but all it ’s doing is languishingin the past .
