The House of Representatives voted on the American Clean Energy & Security Act of 2009. I haven’t read the bill, and I doubt our congressmen have either, but it the idea that you can just pass a bill and magically our county’s energy problems are solved is very naive. Furthermore the efficiency targets of the bill are unrealistic even if they are a good idea. What really makes me mad is- efficiency is its own reward. If these ASHRAE 90.1 reductions were so easy to obtain everyone would be doing it for the cost savings. The fact that few are speaks volumes. The few that are, are using government sponsored utility rebates or mandated government regulations. It is never a good idea for the government to interfere with the market, especially when the outcome is so questionable. I am happy to see I’m not the only one who things so. In the August edition of Engineered Systems Magazine (page 8), they polled readers on the bill and the outcome wasn’t good. These are professionals who love energy efficient solutions, so you better believe they have more insight than congressmen who voted on this bill, or the green lobbyists who probably wrote.
What is your current impression of the ACES energy efficiency targets?
|
ES Reader Poll |
Controlling Interest | Clean Air Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Realistic and a good idea | 14.9% | 18.4% |
| Unrealistic but still a good idea | 49.6% | 21.0% |
| Unrealistic and a bad idea | 32.6% | 55.3% |
| Not sure | 02.8% | 05.3% |
What is your opinion of the awards structure in the ACES Bill?
|
ES Reader Poll |
Controlling Interest | Clean Air Focus |
|---|---|---|
| A significant and effective owner incentive | 19.9% | 05.3% |
| Moderate effect, but less than anticipated | 44.0% | 39.5% |
| Little or no effect on retrofit pace/ quality | 31.9% | 44.7% |
| No opinion | 04.2% | 10.5% |
source: Engineering Systems, August 2008, page 8
A similar poll was taken at Pollution Engineering Magazine regarding Global Warming issues. The results show their readers are not happy with what the Federal Government has proposed and has doubts about Global Warming in general. Poll Results
“Overall, there was a significant drop across the board from respondents in the justification and necessity of CO2, Carbon, or GHG control.”
I’m waiting for the US Government to ban gravity.