The U.S. Congress this week passed a comprehensive energy package. The Washington Post reports that it may get weakened in the Senate and, if it doesn't, President Bush may veto the thing. Here's the highlights, according to the Post:
- Would raise CAFE fuel standards to 35 mpg by 2020
- Required that, by 2015, 15 per cent of power generated by U.S. utilities would have to come from renewable energy sources such wind, thermal, or biomass.
- Provide tax incentives to bring about a sevenfold increase in the use of ethanol as a motor fuel by 2022, two-thirds of which would have to be cellulosic.
- Re-write standards for appliances and light-bulbs which would effectively mean the end of the incandescent bulb by 2015. (Canada has also banned that energy-wasting bulb)
- A rollback of US$13.5-billion in tax breaks for the five largest U.S. oil companies.