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Bush Budget Continues to Short-Change Energy-Efficiency Programs

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) issued a preliminary assessment of the Administration’s FY 2008 budget request, finding that the request continues to shrink funding for the energy efficiency programs that should be front-line priorities in the nation’s energy agenda. “The President can’t increase our energy security by continuing to cut the clean energy budget,” said Acting Executive Director Bill Prindle. “This request should be dead on arrival in Congress, because it cuts 2007 spending for efficiency and renewables by 16%, and the efficiency budget alone could fall by up to a third.” The total FY 2008 request for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at the Department of Energy is $1.236 billion. The funding level of FY 2007 for EERE is $1.473 billion based on Congress’ recent continuing resolution decision. Thus, the request represents a $237 million (16%) cut from 2007 levels. The request also sacrifices important efficiency programs to fund a few Administration priorities. For example, low-income weatherization is cut $98 million, industrial efficiency programs $13 million, vehicles technologies $3 million, and federal energy management $3 million in order to support increases in hydrogen ($59 million), solar ($66 million), and biomass ($90 million). […]

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Canada Announces Renewables Production Incentive Program

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced $1.5 billion in funding for the ecoENERGY Renewable Initiative to boost Canada’s renewable energy supplies. ecoENERGY for Renewable Power will invest $1.48 billion to boost Canada’s renewable energy supply through a ten-year incentive program which will fund eligible projects to be constructed over the next four years. It will also provide $35 million in incentives for renewable thermal technologies for water and space heating and cooling through a second component of the program, ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat. The investment will create up to 4000 megawatts of renewable energy and is expected to deliver greenhouse gas emissions reductions equivalent to taking one million cars off the road, as well as significant reductions in other air pollutants. The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA), views the new program as an effective mechanism that will stimulate the development of new wind energy projects and complement provincial initiatives to procure wind energy. At this time, provincial governments are seeking to put in place a minimum of 10,000 MW of wind energy by 2015. The program will provide eligible wind energy projects with a production incentive payment of 1 cent / kwh in their first 10 years of operation, which means […]

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