July 5, 2009

ACES Act A Significant Step For Our Climate

by Daniel Stouffer

Utilities across the country will now have to pay extra attention to their energy production as a new act expands this focus nationwide. President Obama is closer to scoring a significant victory through the recent passage of the ACES Act, the American Clean Energy and Security Act by the House of Representatives. Utility companies must now use more renewable energy and a sliding scale of increased commitments will be implemented through the year 2050.

One of the primary focal point of the ACES Act is that it requires fully 20% of all electricity production to come from sources such as biofuel, geothermal, wind, solar and waste reproduction by the year 2020. Advocates for the bill maintain that this is one of the most significant steps towards capping carbon pollution and the containment of climate change.

A nationwide standard is now proposed for a reduction in emission of harmful greenhouse gases. The ACES Act includes a declining cap on emissions and companies will be given a strict allowance which will be reduced over time. A cap and trade system will be introduced to take into account that individual companies have a variety of different requirements and these companies will be additionally incentivized as they can profit from the sale of their excess allowances and reduce emissions at the same time.

Those major enterprises that rely on fuels emitting greenhouse gases are being pushed to reduce such reliance. The reduction proposed by the year 2020 will have the same effect as taking up to 500 million cars off the road in the United States.

The ACES Act, also known as Waxman/Markey - the two sponsors of the bill in the House - spurs investment in clean energy technologies and is intended to bring additional and valuable jobs into the manufacturing sector. A certain amount of given allowances will apply to consumers, mainly in the form of tax credits and other payments and benefits that are intended to be passed through utility companies directly to end-users.

In anticipation of the ACES Act and further legislation, companies that are likely to be impacted are seeking the help of energy management initiatives and using software programs designed to track, analyze and help reduce emissions. Canny management executives are considering the various ways that the cap and trade allowances can be used to best effect and to help their bottom line.

The passage of the ACES Act, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 is very significant and continues the growing movement towards a reduction in greenhouse gases and the overall lowering of carbon pollution around the world.

A narrow vote in the US House of Representatives ensured that the ACES Act overcame its first obstacle. The Senate will now consider modifications before a revised bill heads back to the House and ultimately, its proponents hope, to Pres. Obama's desk.

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