New energy bill introduced to inept U.S. congress: how will they vote?

Nowadays, it seems nearly impossible for the split American congress to pass any legislation whatsoever, let alone energy reform. However, Senators Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire (D) and Rob Portman from Ohio (R) aren’t deterred. They believe that by maximizing energy efficiency, not only will green technology help solve global warming, it will stimulate job creation, too. Regardless of political party, everyone can agree: more jobs are good.

This week, Shaheen and Portman are reintroducing their Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (ESICA) to congress, a bi-partisan bill which has already been endorsed by more than 200 businesses, trade associations, and advocacy groups. ESICA promotes the usage of green technology in order to save consumers money, reduce overall carbon emissions, and sever America’s dependency on foreign oil.

Superior green technologies like the SH-Box by NRGLab are close to being, if not already, available on the mass market. An SH-Box in every town, in every country will, for the first time, democratize energy. We’re not talking decades from now, either. The SH-Box is almost here. It can be quickly introduced into any current power grid, allowing consumers to see immediate savings, or even profits!

ESICA also calls for the U.S. to:

1.      Make new homes and commercial structures more energy efficient by enacting stricter building codes.

2.      Create a “Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Financing Initiative” to boost private investment in green energy renovations.

3.      Train the young labor force in energy-efficient construction strategies.

4.      Encourage the Department of Energy (DOE) to research, develop and commercialize innovative new technology by processing more industrial patent applications.

5.      Entice manufacturers to use more energy efficient motors and transformers in their factories.

6.      Establish a program within the DOE – SupplySTAR – to maximize the efficiency of corporate supply chains.

7.      Adopt energy saving techniques for all federally-owned computers.

8.      Install a nation-wide infrastructure of electric vehicle charging stations.

“Energy efficient buildings must be a cornerstone of national energy policy as the building sector remains the nation’s single largest energy consumer,” said a representative of Owens Corning, an insulation manufacturer and one of many companies that stand to gain (financially speaking) from the bill’s passing. “We’re keenly aware of the energy savings, environmental improvements, and job creation opportunities derived from strong energy efficient buildings, policies and practices.”

Although Shaheen and Portman have spent months winning endorsements for their bill from such elite organizations as the Union of Concerned Scientists and the U.S Chamber of Commerce, in congress, nothing is a sure thing.

Mike Burd