John Edwards for President: ARCHIVAL MIRROR-The Road To A New Energy Economy

The Road To A New Energy Economy

Edwards Outlines Plan To Put Iowa's Biofuels On America's Roads

While Washington is captive to special interests who have blocked real solutions to climate change, innovators in Iowa are leading the way towards the clean, renewable fuels of the future. Ethanol – starch-based today, expanded to include cellulosic tomorrow – can reduce carbon pollution by 20 to 80 percent compared to gasoline, and biodiesels by up to 78 percent. Iowa is the national leader in ethanol production, with 28 refineries in production and 20 more in construction – along with 13 existing biodiesel refineries. Nearly 100,000 Iowans are already driving flex-fuel cars and refueling at the state's 67 E85 stations. John Edwards has long supported the development of ethanol and other biofuels. Today, he announced his plan to accelerate the use of biofuels on America's roads and highways, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, improving public health and reducing America's oil imports by at least 7.5 million barrels a day by 2025. [Washington Post, 6/14/2007; DOE / USDA, 1998; Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, 2006; DOE, 2007]

Give Kids a Biofuel Ride to School: America's school buses transport 23 million children each year, and 90 percent of them run on diesel. Children on diesel school buses are exposed to dangerous levels of soot, which can lead to increased rates of cancer and asthma. Today, Edwards announced a new Biofuel Buses program to help school districts replace conventional diesel with cleaner-burning biodiesel blends in 100,000 school buses nationwide. Biodiesel is a biodegradable renewable fuel made from animal fats or vegetable oils such as soybean. It is available nationwide and usually requires no modifications to diesel engines. Most importantly, if used with a soot filter, it reduces soot and carbon monoxide emissions by up to 50 percent, and can virtually eliminate sulfur pollution. Edwards' program will give competitive grants to school districts, expand on the existing EPA program, and also support other clean technology buses. [UCS, 2006; Marshall, Beherentz, 2005; National Biodiesel Board, 2007]
Boost Biofuel Production: America's forests and farmland could eventually produce 1.3 billion tons of biomass feedstock for biofuels a year. Edwards will invest in public-private research partnerships to develop ways to maximize America's biofuel ouput while minimizing pollution, soil erosion, and water, land and energy use. His New Economy Energy Fund – financed by pollution permits and an end to oil industry giveaways – will help develop new methods of producing and using corn and cellulosic ethanol, support loan guarantees to new refineries, and support making the renewable production tax credit permanent. [DOE / USDA, 2005]
Build Out the Biofuels Infrastructure: Although an estimated 6 million ethanol-ready cars are on the roads, only about 900 of the country's 169,000 gas stations have pumps for E85, a blend of ethanol and gasoline. Edwards will require oil companies to install biofuel pumps at 25 percent of their gas stations and require all new cars sold after 2010 to be "flex fuel" cars running on either gasoline or biofuel. [NEVC, 2007; Driving RAND, 2006; DOE, 2005; USDA, 2005]
Make American Cars and Trucks Virtually Petroleum-Free: With a strong ethanol industry that includes cellulosic ethanol and hybrid and electric technology, American cars and trucks can be virtually petroleum-free within a generation. Edwards believes that American automakers have the ingenuity to lead the world in building the clean, safe, economical cars of the future. He will provide $1 billion a year to help U.S. automakers advance and apply the latest technology, including biofuels, hybrid and electric cars, hydrogen fuel cells, ultra-light materials, and drive train improvements.
Raise Fuel Economy Standards: Edwards believes that everyone should be able to drive the car, truck or SUV of their choice and still enjoy high fuel economy. American cars and trucks are less efficient than they were two decades ago, despite the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards. Standards in China, Japan, and the European Union are between 40 and 100 percent higher. Edwards will raise standards to 40 miles per gallon by 2016, a step that could single-handedly reduce oil demand by 4 million barrels per day. [Pew Center on Global Climate Change, 2004; Reicher, 2007]