Freedom Fuels and Real Energy Security: Conserving Energy and Creating Wealth
Our economic, national and environmental security is directly tied to the production and use of energy, especially petroleum. Our purchase of foreign oil provides the oil-producing countries with petrodollars to fund terrorism. Energy conservation, alternative fuels, renewable energy, and new technologies are critical to reducing our dependence on foreign oil and the cost in lives and money of our continuous military presence in Iraq and other oil-producing countries.
Recent scientific findings confirm that rapid global climate change is becoming a significant threat to our lives and property. This threat is directly related to how we produce and use energy. We must act responsibly to reduce the risk to our children and ourselves.
My solutions set forth below are consistent with detailed plans proposed by the Apollo Alliance (www.apolloalliance.org), Americans for Energy Independence (http://www.ei2025.org), and 25 X 25 America's Energy Future (www.25x25.org). All three organizations recognize the important role that efficiency, conservation, carbon sequestration and renewable fuels and energy sources play in building more sustainable local economies.
The goal is to reduce dependence on petroleum fuels by 10 percent by the year 2016 and 25 percent by the year 2025.
My federal energy policies will focus on several basic principles:
Energy Conservation and Technology Corridor
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I will —
- work with stakeholders to create and support an Energy Conservation and Technology "Corridor" (ECTC) throughout North Florida, in which we will build a new energy industry. Research and manufacturing entities will be encouraged to develop and build the technological elements needed to reduce energy use in homes, businesses and factories.
- integrate the innovative renewable energy and business management research conducted at the University of Florida and the University of North Florida with the manufacturing and transportation hubs in Jacksonville, Gainesville and Ocala.
- work to provide the opportunities for small locally owned businesses to develop and produce advanced technologies to make energy-consuming activities more efficient.
- support funding and incentives for widespread commercial deployment of green buildings and LEEDS certification pioneered by local entrepreneurs, industry leaders and the University of Florida.
- support incentives and funding for programs designed to bring ultra-efficient appliances to homes and businesses.
Freedom Fuels Initiative
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I will —
- fund research to develop more efficient technologies to produce fuels from biomass and waste. Research by the Institute for Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS) is essential to the continued development of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels that create renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- create funding to research and identify plants that can be converted efficiently into fuels.
- build coalitions of state and private investors to construct refineries in North Florida to convert crops, biomass and waste into Freedom Fuels. My goal is to maximize use of cellulosic materials and minimize the need to import raw materials.
- support policies and investments that encourage farmers, ranchers and tree farmers to cultivate plants for use in Freedom Fuel production, including trees, grasses, sweet sorghum, and oil-seed crops. I do not support the use of invasive species that could compromise native ecosystems.
- work to make sure that the positive environmental benefits provided by agriculture will continue in North Florida. Biofuels made from crops produced in North Florida, and from animal by-products and manure, will help keep agriculture a strong, viable part of our regional economy.
- encourage Congress to work with the State of Florida and local governments to create tax credits and other incentives for the construction and development of Freedom Fuels infrastructure, including production, refining, transportation, distribution and end uses.
Incentives for Cleaner, Safer, More Efficient Vehicles and Fuels
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I support —
- legislation to extend Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards to all passenger vehicles, including light trucks and sport utility vehicles, increasing efficiency to 40 miles per gasoline gallon equivalent by 2025.
- the Automotive Competitiveness and Accountability Act, which relieves healthcare and other burdens on American automakers, motivating them to manufacture new vehicles powered by Freedom Fuels to serve the special needs of our communities.
- public investments to maintain and improve transportation infrastructures that reduce the energy used for transportation. Reducing this energy also reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
- rolling back petroleum subsidies and dedicating the savings to research, development and deployment of alternative energy production and refining infrastructure. Reducing oil company profits will reduce our addiction to foreign oil.
- extending alternative energy tax incentives (including current excise and income tax incentives for ethanol and biodiesel) to all renewable and waste-derived energy sources and fuels.
- incentives for deployment of the infrastructure needed to distribute these fuels to the public, such as tankers, storage tanks, pipelines and dispensers.
Incentives for Cleaner, Safer, More Efficient Community Energy Systems
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I support —
- and will work to build partnerships needed to obtain federal and state grants and subsidies available under current federal and state energy, agricultural and environmental programs.
- permanent extension of federal tax incentives stimulating development, manufacture and use of higher-efficiency, lower-cost solar panels and photovoltaic cells through 2020 or until American use of fossil fuels for electricity production has been reduced by 50% of 1990 levels.
- permanent extension of federal tax incentives to those who conserve energy by installing solar hot-water and pool heaters, through 2020 or until American use of fossil fuels for electricity production has been reduced by 50% of 1990 levels.
- competitive electric power buy-back provisions, that allow homeowners to sell power to the grid without creating costly pollution.
- creation of a national education effort to improve building insulation and conservation of electricity and water in rural and inner-city areas.
- federal standards requiring electric generation systems to provide the highest level of environmental protection possible.
- federal standards that will upgrade electric transmission systems to reduce energy losses and establish competitive pricing, allowing alternative energy producers to sell power to the grid.
