Renewable Energy
On October 15, 2007, the House passed H.Con.Res 25, which expresses the sense of Congress that the goal of the U.S. is that America’s farms, forests, and ranches provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in America from renewable resources by 2025, while continuing to produce safe, abundant, and affordable food, feed, and fiber. The 110th Congress is taking America in a New Direction, working to strengthen our energy security by reducing American dependence on foreign oil.
With world oil prices at a record $86 per barrel, it is critical that we harness the vast resources here at home to make America more secure, with new economic opportunities and a healthier environment. Producing 25 percent of America’s energy from renewable resources by 2025 is an ambitious goal that will require new thinking about national priorities, but one which is well worth aiming for.
Renewable energy can be harnessed in every one of our 50 states – from resources like wind, solar, hydropower, and biofuels – and is the fastest growing energy sector today. With ethanol, we can produce 25 percent of our projected gasoline use in 2025, from farm and forest resources – including many waste materials.
As a first step toward achieving this critical goal, the House and Senate have passed comprehensive and bipartisan energy security measures. These measures include critical proposals, such as a renewable electricity standard and a renewable fuels standard, to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, lower energy costs with greater efficiency, cleaner energy, and smarter technology, create new American jobs, and reduce global warming.