New Energy Future News

SCRANTON—PennEnvironment joined renewable energy businesses Solair Energy and Sunpower Builders today to unveil the ten best opportunities to move America beyond fossil fuels and toward a cleaner, more secure energy future.

The list is based on the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center’s new report "The Road to a New Energy Future," which highlights numerous technologies to reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels. It is the second of two reports that reinforce the importance of an American commitment to moving toward a cleaner and more secure energy future.

“With war in the middle east, volatile gas prices, and the gathering storm of global warming, America needs a new energy future,” said Jossi Fritz-Mauer, field associate with PennEnvironment. “We cannot afford to pass up any of these golden opportunities,” continued Fritz-Mauer.

The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center's report shows that the U.S. already has the tools to accomplish the goals of reducing U.S. dependence on oil; harnessing clean, renewable, homegrown energy; and saving energy with high performance homes, buildings and appliances.

Included among the Ten Best Opportunities for a New Energy Future identified by PennEnvironment were:

* Solar heated water. Using roof-mounted solar collectors to heat household water can reduce energy consumption for water heating by about two-thirds and pay for themselves within four to eight years.
* Capture the heat of the earth. The natural heat and hot water contained deep within the earth itself provides a renewable source of energy. More than one million geothermal heat pumps are currently in use in the United States, but there is great potential for expansion in the market.
* “Zero Energy” homes. Build homes that can generate as much energy as they use by combining energy efficiency technologies and renewable energy such as solar-panels.
* Harness the wind. The wind that blows through America’s Great Plains could theoretically generate enough electricity to power the entire country. The cost of wind turbines has declined by approximately 90 percent in the last 20 years and wind now cost-competitive with fossil fuel electricity generation in many parts of the country.

Also on the list were hybrids and plug-in hybrids, efficient industrial motors, clean bio-fuels, solar power, efficient light bulbs and fewer “vampire” appliances.

These technologies are available and in use today. Solair Energy president Pamela Denlinger confirmed, “The market for renewable energy sources in Pennsylvania is ready. But we need Pennsylvania legislators to support the incentives necessary to overcome the up-front cost of these forms of energy production. The job growth potential, as well as the advantages to the environment and our national security are all reasons to support PennEnvironment’s New Energy Future platform.”

Sunpower Builder president Jon Costanza agreed. “Supporting legislation for solar incentives will help stimulate job growth and help companies like mine stay viable. This is especially important now, when our energy future is so uncertain,” said Costanza. Costanza has been working in the solar industry for over thirty years. Over the past few years, as support for renewable energy sources rose, he was able to grow his business by 30% and expand his staff substantially. But now Pennsylvania’s solar subsidies have run out, and he faces severe losses if he does not receive more funding soon.

PennEnvironment today also called on all Congressional and state level candidates in Pennsylvania to support the goals of a New Energy Future. Over 135 state-level candidates in Pennsylvania have already endorsed the platform.

“The opportunity for a New Energy Future is knocking and Pennsylvanians are calling on our leaders to answer,” said Fritz-Mauer. “We need a national commitment to put these clean energy tools in the hands of the individuals and businesses that will build our energy future,” continued Fritz-Mauer.

PennEnvironment is a statewide non-profit and non-partisan environmental advocacy organization with more than 20,000 citizen members across Pennsylvania.

Nationwide, more than 250 environmental, consumer, labor, and civic groups have endorsed the New Energy Future platform to take advantage of these opportunities to reduce oil use, promote the use of renewable energy, and help Americans save energy.

In Pennsylvania, 25 groups have endorsed the platform, including the League of Women Voters, the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, and the Pennsylvania Farmers Union. The full text of the report and the New Energy Future goals are available at www.PennEnvironment.org.