THE OBAMA CLEAN ENERGY PRINCIPLES

The Clean Energy Standard’s Five Core Principles

"The President is proposing that a new Clean Energy Standard (CES) be founded on five core principles:

"1. Doubling the share of clean electricity over the next 25 years. To mobilize capital and provide a strong signal for innovation in the energy sector, a CES should be established that steadily increases the share of delivered electricity generated from clean energy sources, rising from 40 percent today to 80 percent by 2035."

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"2. Credit a broad range of clean energy sources. To ensure broad deployment and provide maximum flexibility in meeting the target, clean energy credits should be issued for electricity generated from renewable and nuclear power; with partial credits given for clean coal and efficient natural gas.

"3. Protecting consumers against rising energy bills. The CES should be tailored to protect consumers, and coupled with smart policies that will help American families and businesses save money by saving energy.

"- 3a. The CES should be paired with energy efficiency programs that will lower consumers’ energy bills, such as stronger appliance efficiency standards, tax credits for energy efficiency upgrades, and the proposed Home Star program.

"- 3b. The CES should also include provisions to help manufacturers invest in technologies to improve efficiency and reduce energy costs."

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"4. Ensuring fairness among regions. Different regions of the country rely on diverse energy sources today, and have varying clean energy resources for the future. The CES must ensure that these differences are taken into account – both among regions and between rural and urban areas.

"5. Promoting new technologies such as clean coal. The CES should include provisions to encourage deployment of new and emerging clean energy technologies, such as coal with carbon capture and sequestration."