What Do The Presidential Candidates Think of Solar Energy? Next, Barak Obama

by lise on February 13, 2008

Barak Obama momentum grows after his string of wins in seven state caucuses and primaries these past few days.  We’ll examine his stance on solar energy next. 

Obama certainly has a longer list of energy policy targets and objectives than McCain has stated on their respective presidential campaign websites.  Specific to renewable energy, Obama wants to ensure that by 2025, 25% of the electricity we use comes from clean energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal.  To achieve his goal, Obama proposes to establish a 25% federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).

Obama has made climate change one of his central campaign themes.  In a speech he made in Iowa last fall, Obama asserted, “I don’t believe that climate change is just an issue that’s convenient to bring up during a campaign. I believe it’s one of the greatest moral challenges of our generation.”  As a result, Obama lays out a plan to raise fuel efficiency standards for automobiles and light trucks (which include SUVs), create a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions, and increase production of “clean” biofuels. 

In comparing Barak Obama’s position to nuclear energy against John McCain’s, Obama is willing to examine nuclear power.   However, he does not consider himself a nuclear energy proponent.  As he states in a response to a citizen’s question in December 2007, Obama cautions against nuclear power “until we can make certain that nuclear power plants are safe” and can demonstrably deal with nuclear waste storage.  Rather, Obama is primarily interested in solar, wind, biodiesel and other forms of energy that can “create clean energy and jobs in rural communities.”  (If interested, watch, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R52J2D5QQU)

One last intriguing contrast:  as noted before Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger publicly endorsed John McCain on February 1; two days later on February 3, his wife California First Lady Maria Shriver announced her endorsement for Barak Obama at the University of California in Los Angeles.

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

kora October 28, 2008 at 7:44 am

omg!!!!!! wooooo go obama you should make an apperience in waco texas! nothing happens here i am votiong for you if you run in the next election cause right know i am only 14 but woooo go obama u better crush mccain in the election wooooooooo

love kora

Reply

wanzul indureh November 7, 2008 at 5:40 am

it good

Reply

isis dickson May 26, 2009 at 5:03 am

Its all good i agree. I think, but will follow up on the plan? What do you think?

Reply

n8lew June 1, 2009 at 8:57 am

At some point we just have to hope government progresses through the red tape. Now that Obama is in office we’ve seen his aggressive stance on energy independence take shape. This administration is in support of the alt energy movement and I have no doubt Obama and Co. will continue to press the issue. It won’t happen overnight as the country has many more immediate issues, but I think Barack has done a great job of juggling the immediate concerns with those of the near future.

Reply

Leave a Comment

{ 1 trackback }

Previous post:

Next post: