July 3, 2009

ACES Act Projects Climate Concerns

by Daniel Stouffer

The recent passage through the House of Representatives of the American Clean Energy and Security Act moved Pres. Barack Obama closer to the possibility of a significant victory. The ACES Act calls for utilities to use more renewable energy and brings in increased requirements up through the year 2050. The new act expands to a nationwide basis the need for utilities to pay extra attention to energy production.

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.

Part of the ACES Act includes the provision for a declining cap on greenhouse gas emissions. This has been long called for by environmentalists and now sets a standard nationwide for reductions in the emission of harmful gases. Under this bill, companies will receive an allowance enabling them to emit greenhouse gases, but the allowances will be reduced as time goes by. To take into account a variety of different needs and wants, a proven cap and trade system will be introduced. This will give companies an incentive to reduce their emissions as soon as possible, thereby profiting from the sale of their excess allowances.

It is estimated that the proposed reduction in emission of greenhouse gases by the year 2020 will be akin to taking 500 million cars off the road. Major enterprises across the country are being pressed to reduce their reliance on fuels that caused the emission of the gases.

The ACES Act is also known as Waxman/Markey, referring to the two sponsors of the bill in the House. The act calls for tax credits, and the payment of benefits to be passed directly to consumers through utility companies. Valuable investment in clean energy technology is anticipated as well as the introduction of much-needed jobs within the manufacturing sector.

Companies likely to be impacted by the ACES Act are not waiting for full passage and are readily seeking the help of energy management initiatives and software programs that will help them to track, analyze and ultimately reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, such companies are looking for ways to utilize the cap and trade allowances to best effect and with their bottom line in mind.

The growing movement towards a lowering of carbon pollution and a reduction in greenhouse gases is bolstered by the passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, appropriately dubbed the ACES Act.

The ACES Act has passed its first major hurdle by winning a narrow vote in the US House of Representatives. The bill must now go to the Senate where modifications are likely before a revised bill heads back for another vote in the House, prior to arriving at Pres. Obama's desk.

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