An Energy Efficient America Will be a more Prosperous America -Obama Hopes
President Obama described his vision for the American future in the State of the Union Address as being an ‘Energy Efficient America’. He, Vice-president Joe Biden and members of the cabinet are fanning out across the nation to demonstrate this commitment.
A side trip last week was to Wisconsin to manufactures engaged in clean energy products and to State College, Pennsylvania to the Energy Innovation Hub.
It was there Obama announced his Better Building Initiative setting a goal of a 20% energy efficiency improvement by 2020 in commercial buildings. He believes that savings will be used to create jobs as a result of expansion into new markets.
Part of the initiative is termed ‘Race to Green’ modeled on ‘Race to the Top’ his educational improvement program. The nuts and bolts involve a competitive grant option for state and local governments. The grants will be used to reform building codes affecting retrofitting buildings for energy improvements.
President Obama believes the government’s role is to encourage the private sector to innovate. To win the future will require businesses and government to partner to develop great inventions from good ideas.
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