Energy for Our Future Act
Semester
Energy consumption in the United States continues to be on the rise, with four billion megawatt hours of electricity consumed in 2005. About 50% of this electricity comes from coal, a nonrenewable resource. Coal also has a variety of negative environmental emissions, including carbon dioxide that leads to climate change, nitrogen oxides that leads to smog, sulfur oxides that contribute to acid rain, and mercury which is toxic. This team examined the proposed solution to cut back on the U.S.'s reliance on coal, the Energy for Our Future Act. This act would repeal tax incentives for fossil fuels and expand the use of renewable resources, through tax incentives and research and development grants. Examining the benefits of solar power, this team explored how a photovoltaic cell works as well as the efficiency and return to investment with solar power. During the fall semester, they will continue working with this bill, looking to develop a one-year implementation plan for this act.