As the crucial voting for energy legislation draws nearer, the American Wind Energy Association or AWEA will be taking a majors step towards advocating the use of wind power for energy consumption. The said group will launch a massive ad campaign today. The said ads are aimed towards supporting the move to have a renewable electricity standard or RES. The advocacy campaign will invade different mediums from TV commercials to print ads.
"The ad campaign is part of a broader effort to focus attention on this crucial referendum on American energy policy," said Gregory Wetstone, director of Government and Public Affairs of AWEA. "We believe that greater public awareness will translate into more Congressional support for renewable energy sources like wind and solar power, which are overwhelmingly popular, but face well-financed opposition," he added.
The RES being debated on widely is a mechanism which is based on the market. The RES calls for a fixed portion of the country's source of electricity to be produced using renewable resources. Today, 25 states have already enacted renewable energy standards. But experts agree that a national RES will be much more beneficial.
This week, the House of Representative will decide on the matter. This issue is being targeted early on because of the increasing awareness to the threat of global warming.
There have been studies conducted to find out the benefits of an RES. According to results of these studies, an RES in place will slow down global warming. With renewable energy sources being tapped, less petroleum fuel will be burned. That translates to less greenhouse gases. This move will be beneficial in the future as automakers are now experimenting with vehicles which run on electricity alone. Automobiles like the Acura CL compressor -equipped luxury car are considered as one of the biggest producers of harmful greenhouse gases.
Another benefit of an RES is that it creates jobs. According to a study conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists, an RES will help create about 185,000 American jobs. Wind and solar energy are expected to be the biggest source of alternative energy. With a national RES, these industries will experience a boom thus creating jobs for Americans.
Studies also reported that an RES would "revitalize rural America". According to the studies, rural land owners will be able to take about $3,000 to $8,000 per turbine annually while still being able to work their land. These benefits will be deliberated for sure before the House of Representatives decide on the issue.
Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
