Presidential Politics and Energy: Which Policy?

1
Presidential Politics and Energy Which Policy?

• Modern Energy Forum 2012
• Remarks of Ron Binz
• Principal, Public Policy Consulting
• September 5, 2012 Denver

2
Public Policy Consulting

• Expertise in energy and telecom
• advocacy
• counsel, advising
• expert testimony
• Focus areas
• climate policy
• clean tech/green tech
• improving regulation
• enabling competition

www.rbinz.com
3
Meet the Candidates

• Lets compare their policies on --
• Coal
• Oil and Gas
• Renewables and Energy Efficiency
• Nuclear Power
• Climate Policy

4
Their Energy Advisors

• Romney

• Obama

• Harold Hamm
• Jim Talent
• Gregory Mankiw
• Jeffrey Holmstead

• Ken Salazar
• Stephen Chu
• Lisa Jackson
• Heather Zichal

5
Coal

• Romney

• Obama

• Would roll back EPA regulation of greenhouse gas
  emissions.
• Rules affecting coal power plants could be
  streamlined
• Accuses Obama of conducting a war on coal

• Supported cap and trade
• Supports clean coal as a part of in long term
  energy plan
• CCS research funded in ARRA
• Allowed EPA to proceed with MATS, CSAPR, CO2,
  coal ash, 316(b) regulations

6
Oil and Natural Gas

• Romney

• Obama

• Will open all offshore oil reserves to
  development
• Would approve Keystone XL pipeline on Day 1
• Will not pursue overly aggressive interventions
  designed to discourage fracking altogether
• Foresees North American energy independence by
  2020

• Will open more than 75 percent of potential
  offshore oil and gas reserves to development.
• Opened southern half of XL pipeline studying
  balance
• believes fracking can be done safely
• Promulgated new fracking rules

7
Renewables

• Romney

• Obama

• Only passing reference in energy policy
• Opposes extension of PTC
• favors federally funded basic research into green
  energy, but opposes subsidies and loan guarantees
  for specific technologies and projects
• you cant put a windmill on a car

• Supports PTC extension
• Significant RE funding in ARRA
• DOE, Interior, ARPA-e, FERC have all pushed
  renewable energy
• Obama Romney shows disdain for green energy

8
Nuclear

• Romney

• Obama

• Revitalize nuclear power by equipping the NRC to
  approve new designs and to license approved
  reactor designs on approved sites within two
  years.

• Generally supportive of nuclear power as part of
  an all of the above strategy
• we supported first new nuclear plant in 30
  years

9
Energy Efficiency

• Romney

• Obama

• No mention of energy efficiency in energy plan
• Vehicle efficiency opposes the extreme
  standards that President Obama has imposed, which
  will limit the choices available to American
  families
• ACEEE Romney was very good on EE as governor

• Major stimulus funding for energy efficiency
• Push for vehicle fuel standards, to 54 mpg by
  2025
• Tax breaks for alternative fuel vehicles
• ACEEE Obama has done a masterful job on EE

10
Climate Policy

• Romney

• Obama

• No mention of climate issues in energy plan
• Obama wants to heal the planet, I want to help
  your family.
• Supported RGGI as governor
• There remains a lack of scientific consensus on
  the issue on the extent of the warming, the
  extent of the human contribution, and the
  severity of the risk and I believe we must
  support continued debate and investigation within
  the scientific community.

• Supported cap and trade legislation in 2008.
• Negotiated 2009 Copenhagen Accord
• Climate change is the one of the biggest issues
  of this generation, and we have to meet this
  challenge by driving smart policies that lead to
  greater growth in clean energy generation and
  result in a range of economic and social
  benefits.

11
Thanks for the invitation
I look forward to your questions.