Tag Archives: SOTU

SOTU: President Obama’s Reckless Energy Policy

Last night, President Obama gave his final State of the Union (SOTU) address to the nation. He briefly discussed energy policy:

Seven years ago, we made the single biggest investment in clean energy in our history.  Here are the results.  In fields from Iowa to Texas, wind power is now cheaper than dirtier, conventional power.  On rooftops from Arizona to New York, solar is saving Americans tens of millions of dollars a year on their energy bills, and employs more Americans than coal – in jobs that pay better than average.  We’re taking steps to give homeowners the freedom to generate and store their own energy – something environmentalists and Tea Partiers have teamed up to support.  Meanwhile, we’ve cut our imports of foreign oil by nearly sixty percent, and cut carbon pollution more than any other country on Earth.

Gas under two bucks a gallon ain’t bad, either.

Now we’ve got to accelerate the transition away from dirty energy.  Rather than subsidize the past, we should invest in the future – especially in communities that rely on fossil fuels.  That’s why I’m going to push to change the way we manage our oil and coal resources, so that they better reflect the costs they impose on taxpayers and our planet.  That way, we put money back into those communities and put tens of thousands of Americans to work building a 21st century transportation system.

Seven years ago, President Obama said he would bankrupt the coal industry, he has come pretty close to doing just that. The American coal industry is on the verge of collapse, with around 50 companies out of business and stock prices of the big four companies have fallen as much as 99 percent! Most recently, the second largest coal company has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

In addition to all the regulations placed on the coal industry by the Obama administration, natural gas has experienced a boom due to new discoveries and the advanced technologies of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. Natural gas recently passed coal as America’s top source of energy power.

Despite the President’s efforts and the natural gas boom, coal is still a major source of American energy power. While, renewable energy is only supplying 6 percent of our electric power.

Wind power and solar power are also not cheap, compared to energy options such as natural gas and coal. The savings that the President is referring to are the very high subsidies that both the federal government and some states have been giving to individuals for buying wind or solar. Also, I am sure he is adding in the possible savings over something like 20 or 50 years. Yet leaving out the very high initial installation and maintenance costs.

The President’s SOTU last night coverage a variety of topics, including the reckless energy policy over the past seven years. An energy policy that has unnecessarily put our coal industry on life support, at a high cost to taxpayers and energy consumers.

SOTU NCPA: Energy Forecast or Lack of One

With the State of the Union Address tomorrow night, we can expect the president to talk about energy and environment ― much more about environment than energy. The president’s actions show how low of a priority our national security and energy independence is on his list of “top issues.” Besides speaking at international climate summits around the world and having a climate change researcher siting with the first lady tomorrow night, the president lists energy #7 out of his 7 top issues. With a listing after climate change, the energy and environment section is then split in half between energy and environment topics with the other half covering climate change.

Here are the very few energy topics listed:

  • Reducing Our Dependence on Foreign Oil ― the administration admits to current increased amounts of domestic oil production as the factor that is reducing our foreign oil dependence. Increasing that production is the solution, not decreasing carbon emissions and more renewable energy sources.
  • Safe and Responsible Domestic Oil and Gas Production ― the plan is to aggressively regulate oil and gas production, hydraulic fracturing, artic drilling and rail safety. Regulations will increase inefficiencies and costs.
  • Carbon Capture and Sequestration Technologies ― more regulations targeting new and existing coal-fired power plants. Already costing billions to implement, such regulations will greatly increase costs for plant operation, weaken the economy and burden taxpayers.
  • Advancing Clean Energy ― a series of renewable usage in homes goals, tax credits and subsides. All government interference in the energy market is artificial and ends up harming everyone.
  • Advancing Energy Efficiency ― the administration’s view of energy efficiency is cutting down carbon emissions and reducing the demand for U.S. oil. Energy efficiency should actually be how well developed our energy production, transportation and delivery are with the president’s help. Looks like the president has not been interested in true energy efficiency.
  • Developing Clean Fuels ― biofuels are extremely costly, unnecessary and weaken the automobile industry that has to keep up with the outrageous Renewable Fuel Standards.

Our energy independence is a geopolitical/national security issue that should be critical to our nation. We must do all we can to let our energy companies produce and export refined and unrefined energy resources. Only then will we be able to keep ourselves off of foreign oil dependence, keep gas prices low for the poor, increase our role in the global energy market and boost our economy.