Barack Obama outlines energy plan for United States

Barack Obama was quoted as saying; "Breaking our oil addiction is one of the greatest challenges our generation will ever face. It will take nothing less than a complete transformation of our economy," "This transformation will be costly, and given the fiscal disaster we will inherit from the last administration, it will likely require us to defer some other priorities."

"Like all compromises, this one has its drawbacks. It includes a limited amount of new offshore drilling, and while I still don't believe that's a particularly meaningful short-term or long-term solution, I am willing to consider it if it's necessary to actually pass a comprehensive plan," Obama said. "I am not interested in making the perfect the enemy of the good particularly since there is so much good in this compromise that would actually reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

Obama still wants to hold on to his creation of green jobs and wants to commercialize the wind and solar industries. McCain on the other hand hopes that 45 new nuclear power plants; offering a $300 million prize for major advancement of low-cost, plug-in hybrid or electric car technology; and "encouraging the market" in wind, hydroelectric and solar power will do the trick.

One should note that at current the candidates are campaigning on short term objectives and goals, rather than long term solutions to the problem. Any administration would need at least two terms in power in the White House along with a cooperative legislator in the United States to implement the kind of change they are looking for.

Neither of the candidates have up until now taken a firm standpoint on the issue of the renewable energy credits which have still not been passed and have become a very partisan issue in the American government.

From Barack Obama's website we can also summarize his agenda for energy as follows:

“Obama’s comprehensive New Energy for America plan will:

Provide short‐term relief to American families facing pain at the pump

Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.

Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined.

Put 1 million Plug‐In Hybrid cars – cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon – on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America.

Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.

Implement an economy‐wide cap‐and‐trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. ”

For additional information:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/newenergy