The White House Washington February 17, 2009 American Recovery And ...
THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington
February 17, 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
Moving America Toward a Clean Energy Future
Our nation’s current energy system is failing to provide the clean and secure energy needed to
power a 21st century economy. It is imperative that we accelerate the development and
deployment of clean and renewable energy. The Clean Energy Finance Authority (CEFA) is
designed to coordinate, amplify and elevate our nation’s investment in a clean energy future.
Renewable power has grown dramatically over the past several years. Unfortunately, the current
credit crisis has brought this dynamic progress to a halt. The CEFA programs included in the
Recovery Plan will revive the renewable industry and double the amount of renewable energy
produced over the next three years. Collectively, the funding is expected to leverage nearly $100
billion in clean energy projects.
BUILDING A BIGGER, BETTER, SMARTER GRID
More than $11 billion is included in the recovery play to create a bigger, better, smarter electric
grid. Combined, these investments will allow for: integration and use of greater amounts of
renewable energy; increased utilization of innovative efficiency technologies; and a reduction in
the electric congestion that costs ratepayers billions of dollars each year.
We know that the existing electricity grid today is insufficient and outdated. In order to bring
significant amounts of renewable energy online, tens of thousands of miles of new, high voltage
national transmission is necessary. For example, North Dakota – a state with significant wind
energy potential – cannot carry the energy to the population centers that need the electricity
without a new transmission superhighway. While this new nationwide “superhighway” will
require long-term policy changes and years of planning, much work can begin today. And the
Recovery Plan will jumpstart that work through key investments:
• The upfront investments and reforms in modernizing our nation’s electricity grid will
result in more than 3,000 miles of new or modernized transmission lines.
• The Plan will also create a smarter grid and deploy 40 million “Smart Meters” in
American homes, upgrading transmission and distribution technologies that have not
significantly changed in a half century. A smarter way to deliver electricity to consumers
can lower utility bills, reduce power outages and enable more cutting edge renewable and
electric vehicle technologies.
• While permitting thousands of miles of new high voltage lines will take time, a $100
million workforce training program can overcome a key obstacle: a projected a shortage
of lineworkers as the aging transmission workforce enters retirement. Workers who train
today will be prepared to construct thousands of new miles in the future.
INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Energy efficiency, by many measures, is our fastest, cheapest and cleanest opportunity to address
our energy challenges. From cars and homes to factories and offices, we know how to cost
effectively deliver vast quantities of energy savings today. The American Reinvestment and
THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington
February 17, 2009
Recovery Plan includes a number of measures to improve energy efficiency across the US
economy by:
• Reducing Federal Government Energy Use. The federal government is the largest
energy consumer in the world. Making substantial investments to reduce federal energy
consumption through energy efficiency upgrades to federal buildings can spur job
creation while slashing the federal government’s energy bill by 25%.
• Increasing Low-Income Weatherization Funding . Across the nation, millions of
working families spend a significant portion of their income to run their furnaces, air
conditioners and keep the lights on. By upgrading a home’s furnace, sealing leaky ducts,
fixing windows, and adding insulation we can cut energy bills by up to $350 per year.
And by adding energy efficient appliances and lighting the savings are even greater. The
critical funding in the recovery package will help weatherize over 1 million homes.
• Providing Energy Efficiency Grants to States. Many states and local governments have
created dedicated clean energy programs and are implementing effective strategies to
support significant new project and market deployment. Facing budget shortfalls,
however, states and local governments now lack sufficient financial resources to tap the
full potential of clean energy development and deployment. This situation is exacerbated
with private sector financing drying up as a result of the recent credit crisis. With
funding from the recovery plan, states and local governments will be able to quickly
accelerate clean energy development and create jobs.
GREEN JOBS TRAINING
Amidst the challenges facing our national and global economies, there is a critical opportunity to
develop the industries and skilled workforce needed to support a transition to a clean energy
economy. Both traditional and clean technology energy companies regularly cite their inability
to hire and retain trained workers. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will create a
sustainable, public program that leverages significant private labor-management funds and
provides quality workforce training linked to good jobs that are created by federal renewable
energy and energy efficiency initiatives. Creating programs that quickly and effectively train
workers is essential to economic and programmatic goals of the entire stimulus effort.
