US Senate lawmaker unveils measure to cut energy use economy-wide

Washington (Platts)--17Apr2007

An energy efficiency bill introduced late Monday in the US Senate would
expedite the setting of standards for appliances, direct the federal
government to reduce its petroleum and energy consumption in buildings by 30%
starting in 2015 and set an economy-wide target of a 45% cut in gasoline use
by 2030, it sponsor said.

The bill, the last of a number of near-term measures to be introduced by
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman,
Democrat-New Mexico, would also direct the federal government to source 15% of
its electricity from renewable generation in 2015 and would make loan
guarantees available to auto parts manufacturers for the production of more
efficient cars. It also would offer carmakers incentives for retooling plants.

The bill, called the Energy Efficiency Promotion Act, "ultimately is
intended to do two things: to save money for consumers and to reduce our
impact on the environment," Bingaman told a briefing.

Annually, the measure would save consumers $12 billion and at least 50
billion kWh of electricity, or enough to provide power to 4.8 million homes,
he said.

Bingaman called the bill a starting point and it is likely that the bill
would be changed during committee debate. The committee he heads hopes to
amend the bill within three weeks and have it ready for a floor vote in May.

Other bills, including one to increase the amount of biofuels in use and
another to encourage storage of carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants
and other industrial facilities are on the same schedule.