Positive News on Green Energy Policy

The president announced the Energy Security Trust during his State of the Union, and it’s nice to see some follow-up on what could end up being a very positive development.

President Barack Obama toured the Argonne National Laboratory outside Chicago on Friday and announced his plans for an “Energy Security Trust” to further clean energy research and development in the U.S.

The trust, which will be funded by federal royalties from offshore oil and gas drilling and not add to the budget deficit, will provide for $2 billion in research over the next 10 years. According to the White House, it will advance research into technologies like electric vehicle batteries, biofuels and hydrogen fuel cells.

Obama said on Friday at Argonne, “We have to keep investing in scientific research,” and lamented the impact of the federal budget sequester on U.S. research. “We cant afford to miss these opportunities while the rest of the world races forward,” the president argued.

Though it also includes research on natural gas, which I don’t like so much.

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  • muselet

    If the Rs don’t manage to beat it to death with sticks, the Energy Security Trust could do some real good.

    And as long as natural gas is used as a bridge fuel—between coal and whatever comes after—it’s fine. If it’s treated as just another fossil fuel, that’s another story.

    –alopecia

    • D_C_Wilson

      I’m more concerned about the impacts of fracking right now. I think we’re setting the stage to some serious long term problems that we don’t fully understand.

      • muselet

        I don’t disagree. That’s why I say natural gas is okay short-term (it’s a much cleaner fuel than coal, but what isn’t?) but not if it’s treated as something we can use long-term.

        –alopecia

  • D_C_Wilson

    Look for Boehner and McCain to decry this as “picking winners and losers” on the talking head shows tomorrow morning.