The Ten (Energy) Commandments
07/07/08 13:47
I’m not the President, King, or a holy deity. But if I were, here are my 10 Commandments of Energy. I’d love feedback - what SHOULD the energy 10 Commandments look like?1. Nations such as China, India, Mexico and Iran should stop government fuel subsidies that increase global oil usage up to 15%, drive up energy prices and hurt government financial stability.
Nearly half the world’s population receives subsidized fuel which increases world demand around 15% - that’s 15 million barrels of oil A DAY. These countries are trapped in a failed policy that has driven up energy prices and addicted their citizens to uneconomical practices. Malaysia and India recently experienced destabilizing protests over dramatic fuel-price hikes by their governments that could no longer able to subsidize soaring oil costs. These countries should end fuel subsidies now while energy prices are lower.
2. Institute carbon cap & trade system that is synchronized with the European Climate Exchange. This will accelerate efficiency measures, renewable energy sources and cleaner fuels by making the worst emitters the most expensive. Current ECX carbon emission prices are approximately $30 per ton. At this price, many conventional coal plants have a power cost of about $0.08 per kWh vs. about $0.05 for large scale solar – accelerating the switch to renewables.
3. Improve building efficiency standards to require robust insulation, appliance, equipment, computer, lighting efficiency and water use standards. Increase these standards over time. This has terrific return on investment (ROI) by dramatically lowering the cost of heating and cooling over a building’s life. It also helps manufacturers invest in efficiency technologies as they can be assured they will have a market.
4. Provide tax incentives for efficiency improvements to existing buildings such as insulation, attic cooling, and lighting upgrades in existing buildings that use 40% of our nation’s energy. This could cut the U.S. energy bill up to 10% while generating enormous employment growth.
5. Disaggregate electric power distribution (aka “grids&rdquo
from generation and consumers to purchase power from power producers and resellers, including choosing renewable power producers. Mandate electricity distributors purchase power from the most economical generators specifically including process heat producers such as steel mills. This could reduce our national electricity fuel bill by up to 20% and accelerate adoption of renewable power sources.
6. Set minimum efficiency levels for new or upgraded fossil-fuel electric generation facilities. While old plants topped out at about 35% efficiency, new “combined cycle” plants can reach nearly 60% efficiency. This nearly doubles the electricity output from each unit of oil, gas or coal with dramatically lower emissions.
7. Tax aircraft fuel at the same rate as vehicles, trains and vessels. It makes no sense for more efficient modes of transport to pay fuel taxes while airlines get a free ride. Why is this so? In 1944, the Chicago IATA convention mandated international air routes do not pay fuel taxes - and most nations extended that to domestic routes. Now time get rid of this outdated tax loophole that subisidize airlines.
8. Provide tax credits to companies that allow employees to work from home including provisioning of information & communications equipment & service to support those employees.
9. Eliminate export and import tariffs on biofuel and feedstcock (e.g. sugar, ethanol, biodiesel, biobutanol). Tropical biofuel production is far more productive than temperate because there is far more sun to convert (12 months a year in many locations) and plenty of retired cropland to produce on. It can also help African nations develop employment and economic self sufficiency. Biofuels or crops produced on destroyed forest lands should be banned from consumption or export.
10. Join the Kyoto treaty. While flawed, Kyoto is a starting place for all future negotiations. It is better throw stones from within this glass house than without and lead the dialog from the front.
What’s on your list?
2. Institute carbon cap & trade system that is synchronized with the European Climate Exchange. This will accelerate efficiency measures, renewable energy sources and cleaner fuels by making the worst emitters the most expensive. Current ECX carbon emission prices are approximately $30 per ton. At this price, many conventional coal plants have a power cost of about $0.08 per kWh vs. about $0.05 for large scale solar – accelerating the switch to renewables.
3. Improve building efficiency standards to require robust insulation, appliance, equipment, computer, lighting efficiency and water use standards. Increase these standards over time. This has terrific return on investment (ROI) by dramatically lowering the cost of heating and cooling over a building’s life. It also helps manufacturers invest in efficiency technologies as they can be assured they will have a market.
4. Provide tax incentives for efficiency improvements to existing buildings such as insulation, attic cooling, and lighting upgrades in existing buildings that use 40% of our nation’s energy. This could cut the U.S. energy bill up to 10% while generating enormous employment growth.
5. Disaggregate electric power distribution (aka “grids&rdquo
from generation and consumers to purchase power from power producers and resellers, including choosing renewable power producers. Mandate electricity distributors purchase power from the most economical generators specifically including process heat producers such as steel mills. This could reduce our national electricity fuel bill by up to 20% and accelerate adoption of renewable power sources.6. Set minimum efficiency levels for new or upgraded fossil-fuel electric generation facilities. While old plants topped out at about 35% efficiency, new “combined cycle” plants can reach nearly 60% efficiency. This nearly doubles the electricity output from each unit of oil, gas or coal with dramatically lower emissions.
7. Tax aircraft fuel at the same rate as vehicles, trains and vessels. It makes no sense for more efficient modes of transport to pay fuel taxes while airlines get a free ride. Why is this so? In 1944, the Chicago IATA convention mandated international air routes do not pay fuel taxes - and most nations extended that to domestic routes. Now time get rid of this outdated tax loophole that subisidize airlines.
8. Provide tax credits to companies that allow employees to work from home including provisioning of information & communications equipment & service to support those employees.
9. Eliminate export and import tariffs on biofuel and feedstcock (e.g. sugar, ethanol, biodiesel, biobutanol). Tropical biofuel production is far more productive than temperate because there is far more sun to convert (12 months a year in many locations) and plenty of retired cropland to produce on. It can also help African nations develop employment and economic self sufficiency. Biofuels or crops produced on destroyed forest lands should be banned from consumption or export.
10. Join the Kyoto treaty. While flawed, Kyoto is a starting place for all future negotiations. It is better throw stones from within this glass house than without and lead the dialog from the front.
What’s on your list?
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