EDTA 2008: The View from Congress
It was very likely because of who the audience was, but all the panelists at today's "View from the Hill" seminar at the EDTA show agreed that electric drive is the way to go for the future of the American car. Congressional staffer JJ Brown, from Senator Orrin Hatch's (R-UT) office, Pat Bousliman, the natural resources adviser to the Senate Finance Committee, and Mike Carr, counsel to the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee (he also works for Senator Bingaman, D-NM), spoke about how lawmakers view the options for moving America to cleaner sources of energy. The overall message was that Congress will do what it can to affect change, but that Congress is looking for help from the outside - like the people in the room, for example.
Brown said that Senator Hatch realizes that, "We cannot have an anti-oil policy on the Hill right now." Members of Congress know that ethanol is not a silver bullet, and electric drive is a "great answer" to the problem of oil dependency, but it's exactly that oil that is available right now and will therefore continue to be supported.
Carr added that lawmakers don't want to be in the position of trying to pick the winning technologies - when they've tried to do so in the past they've made mistakes (*ahem*ethanol*cough*). Still, there will be a new comprehensive energy bill started up in the new Congress, Carr said. This is where the EDTA members, and others, can help with their input. We'll certainly be watching to see what the now-Democratically-controlled Congress and President-elect Mr. Change can craft.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tim 6:59PM (12/03/2008)
"...electric drive is a "great answer" to the problem of oil dependency...lawmakers don't want to be in the position of trying to pick the winning technologies - when they've tried to do so in the past they've made mistakes..."
At least if they do CHOOSE electricity they are NOT choosing where that electricity comes from. Then again, if Obama follows-through on his threat to force cap and trade american electricity from coal is DOA so we may need to reinstall those old hitching posts in the front yards again.
Put a floor under oil prices with the windfall tax going to infrastructure (roads, bridges, battery research & electric charging locations) and stay out of the car market so the big-3's competitors can pick their bones and produce the cars that WE want. Just make sure that only 100% DOMESTIC companies can buy the "Big-3's" assetts during their bankruptcy liquidations.
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Dominic Baxter 10:22PM (12/04/2008)
I think the next big step for the future of hybrid is taking what we have and making it better. Don't depend on fuel cell GM cars cause no body can afford them now. We can't just start knowcking down gas stations and put up some charging stations over night.
My opinion of Gm's fuel cell and the Chevy Volt, they are tying to keep up with the Toyota Hybrid. Which Toyota kicked their a$$ with. They are trying to make something to far in advance. It's a great idea, but is it profitable now? Can they average american afford it? If you have a 5 year old kid that is sick with the flu, do you kill him to solve the problem? NO you get the right medications to make the problem better. With some of the exibitors like US Hybrid (MagMotors), they are providing solutions to take what you currently have as a vehicle, and make it more efficient. Companies like that are not trying to tell you that your utility truck has to be replaced by a truck that your company can't afford.
I think that for now, we should not look at this as building a sky scapper in two parts. Lets build from the foundation up till the economy is ready for plug in elec and fuel cell.
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