Issue Position: Energy and Climate Change

Issue Position

Getting America Running on Clean Energy

What's Wrong

As America maintains a dangerous dependence on foreign oil, our global competitors are investing heavily in the research and development of renewable energy and efficiency technologies. The world's five largest Internet technology companies are American, but only one of the top five manufacturers of wind technology is from the U.S. While we struggle with modest policy changes to reduce our emissions of climate change pollution, China invests 10 times more than the U.S. in clean power as a percentage of GDP and produces cars that are one-third more fuel efficient.
Alexi's Plan To Make It Right

Alexi believes that if America is to remain a superpower in the 21st Century, we must shed our outdated energy mindset and invest in new technologies and new strategies that protect our environment and grow our economy. His plan would promote energy independence, economic growth, quality jobs, international competitiveness and environmental sustainability.
Create the market to spur clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

* Alexi supports efforts to create a comprehensive, market-based system that puts a price on global warming pollution and spurs investment in renewable energy and new clean energy jobs. This transition can occur with minimal cost to consumers, and help make America more competitive in today's global economy.
* Energy producers want to invest in clean energy sources but face government and market signals that fluctuate from year to year. Alexi would push to provide a stable market signal to American renewable energy companies by making the production and investment tax credits for renewable energy permanent.
* Illinois has been a national leader in creating a stable market for renewables by passing a Renewable Energy Standard that mandates 10 percent of energy produced in the state must be from renewable sources by 2015, and 25 percent by 2025. Alexi would push for a national Renewable Energy Standard that meets the Illinois standard.

Help business create the jobs of tomorrow

* Studies have shown that manufacturing jobs created by renewable energy -- specifically wind and solar in the case of one study -- have had an approximately 80 percent overlap with where jobs have been lost due to outsourcing.
* Congress should make every effort to capitalize on American ingenuity. Alexi believes that with the right incentives for businesses to invest in clean energy, we can create good paying jobs that cannot be outsourced.
* Illinois is home to more than 2,500 companies that have created more than 28,000 "clean energy jobs", like building wind turbines, weatherizing homes, manufacturing highly efficient lighting fixtures, and producing energy from waste. The road to America's energy independence runs right through the prairies of Illinois.
* As a Senator, Alexi will work to build on this foundation with the right kind of government incentives so that we can grow businesses focused on clean energy and double this number in the next few years.

Reduce our demand for foreign oil

* Alexi will support legislation that reduces our oil consumption and shifts us towards a responsible, pragmatic 21st century energy policy. He will continue his unwavering commitment to promoting energy efficiency in the transportation sector and enhancing domestic supplies of energy.

Help rural America tap into the new energy economy

* As small farms struggle to compete in a global economy, we must encourage farm-based energy programs that can create more clean energy and new income for rural Illinoisans. Wind power, advanced biofuels, solar power, geothermal and new energy crops can create clean energy for the region and sustainable revenue streams for America's farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses.

FutureGen

* We must continue to harness the scientific power of America's innovators and find ways to produce energy from coal without the harmful emissions. The FutureGen project in Mattoon is a step in the right direction -- it will burn coal for energy but create practically no emissions while crating thousands of badly needed jobs both in Mattoon, and in other coal-producing communities across Illinois. It remains an expensive proposition, but this effort will demonstrate the potential of "clean coal" and stir competition that will ultimately lower the price. Illinois should continue to be a leader in this effort.

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