The dawn of a new era in American politics brings with it the hope of a real change in energy policy.
President-elect Barack Obama has pledged his support for the Apollo Alliance Program to bring new jobs and energy security to the US through an alternative energy economy.
The new Apollo program
The idea for a new Apollo program to build an alternative energy economy has been around since the Apollo Alliance was founded in 2004.
“Building a new energy economy requires a new way of doing business in America, one that takes the cost of global warming into account. It also requires visionary new investments in our industries, our communities, and our workers.” The New Apollo Program
According to their website, the program would generate and invest $500 billion over 10 years to implement a strategy of five principal initiatives:
- Rebuild America “clean and green”
Produce 25 percent of the nation’s power from renewable sources and upgrade the energy efficiency of buildings by at least 30 percent by 2025, modernize the power grid, and improve transit systems. - Make it in America
Retool American factories to build renewable energy systems and high-efficiency, alternative-fuel vehicles. - Restore America’s technological leadership
Double national investment in clean energy research and development. - Tap the productivity of the American people
Invest in green-collar job training initiatives – including job readiness and service programs, union apprenticeships, and community and technical college courses – to provide better jobs and the workforce needed to build the clean energy future. - Reinvest in America
Establish a cap and invest program to reduce carbon emissions and reinvest resources to build the new clean energy economy.
Annual investment
An annual investment of about $50 billion a year, the Alliance notes, is a smaller share of the gross domestic product than was spent on the Apollo space program, about one-third of current spending in Iraq, and roughly half of what was lent by the federal government to insurance giant AIG.
“A new economic turbocharger is going to have to be found and there is no better potential driver that pervades all aspects of our economy than a new energy economy. That’s going to be my No 1 priority when I get into office.” Barack Obama in an interview for Time magazine (Oct 08)
By backing the new Apollo program, Barack Obama might have the answers to see the US out of the current financial crisis – and resolve the global warming issue at the same time. Here’s hoping!
3 comments… read them below or add yours now
I welcome the change and think Barack Obama and the Democrats will do more for the environment than Bush and his neo-con pals ever did.
Brill article, thanks. I wasn’t aware of his commitment to the environment. That’s really good. Maybe now the world’s biggest polluter will clean up their act!
@Alice, thanks for sharing your views.
@Katy, you too! I think China might have recently overtaken the US as the world’s biggest polluter. Now, if they had a Barack Obama aswell…