In September, Environment New Hampshire and our allies launched a nation-wide effort to call on candidates to support our New Energy Future plan. The plan, which would save a third of the oil we use today and cut our energy use 10 percent by 2025, has attracted support from members of Congress, leading environmentalists, energy experts, hundreds of state and national environmental groups and thousands of ordinary citizens.

The plan addresses the four steps needed to set forth on a New Energy Future, and sets science-based goals for changing America’s course on energy.

Reducing dependence on oil
Our ambitious plan aims at reducing oil use by one-third by 2025. Our demand for oil has been on a sky-rocketing upward trajectory—the DOE predicts that America will use approximately 25 percent more oil in 2025 than we do today.

Given that some hybrid cars can get 100 miles to a gallon of gas, increasing fuel economy standards to 40 miles per gallon is well within reach. A bill to raise fuel efficiency standards introduced last year had the support of some formerly vocal opponents.

To fully reach our goal of reducing use by 33 percent, we also need bio-fuels and alternative transportation.

Clean, renewable, homegrown energy
Our plan lays out how to get 25 percent of America’s energy from clean, renewable, homegrown sources by 2025. We need to tap into the virtually limitless potential our country has to generate electricity from renewable energy sources, especially as we make technological advances.

Wind power could provide as much as 30 percent of America’s electricity by 2025 and possibly more as new technologies and practices allow for us to integrate more wind power into America’s electricity mix. Using plant-based fuels to substitute for oil in transportation and industry could supply about 4.5 percent of our total energy use in 2025.

Saving energy
Our plan reduces America’s energy use by 10 percent by 2025. Faced with rolling blackouts during California’s recent energy crisis, the state embarked on an ambitious energy-saving strategy that shaved more than six percent off the state’s electricity consumption within a single year.

We’ll reach our goal by setting stronger energy-efficiency standards for household and commercial appliances, requiring utilities to meet growing energy needs through energy-efficiency improvements instead of new power plants, expanding energy efficiency programs and educating the public about the benefits of conserving energy.

Investing in technology
New homes meeting Energy Star home standards use 15 percent less energy than homes meeting even the most rigorous current building codes. With tax credits to build such dwellings, office-buildings and public spaces, we could cut energy demand to meet our goal, while also saving on electricity and heating costs.

By developing and implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, the United States can become the global leader in new energy technologies, a field that will become increasingly popular and in-demand given the threats posed by global warming.