Energy Efficiency & Auto Fuel Efficiency

We cannot drill our way out of reliance on unstable oil sources. The Persian Gulf holds 65 percent of the world’s oil reserves, the U.S. only three percent. In order to curb our dependence on foreign oil, we must reduce our consumption overall.

Since cars and light trucks account for 40 percent of all petroleum use in the U.S., the best way to cut our dependence on oil is to make vehicles go farther on a gallon of gas. Miles-per-gallon (mpg) standards enacted in 1975 doubled the fuel economy of new American cars and continue to save the United States 2.8 million barrels of oil per day. Unfortunately, fuel economy is now at a 21 year low as auto-makers sell more SUVs and other light trucks, which are allowed to meet lower miles-per-gallon standards than cars.

Increasing Auto Fuel Economy Standards
A report by the National Academy of Sciences shows that each automaker could produce a fleet of cars and light trucks that meets a fuel economy standard of 37 mpg within 10-15 years using cost-effective existing technology. The Senate missed an opportunity to increase the fuel economy of cars and trucks to 35 mpg by 2013. This standard would:

• Conserve one million barrels of oil each day in 2013; this is more than 12 times the projected daily yield from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the same year.
• Conserve 2.5 million barrels of oil each day by 2020—as much oil as we currently import from the Persian Gulf.
• Save consumers a net of $4 billion annually at the gas pump starting in 2013, and the savings will increase as cars with higher fuel economy replace older vehicles.
• Create more than 40,000 jobs in the auto industry, according to an analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists of a slightly higher fuel economy standard.
• Cut global warming pollution from transportation sources by 16 percent by 2020.

Fuel Economy Standards: Myth and Fact

Briefing Book: Increasing America's Fuel Economy (422KB)

Increasing Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is the quickest, cheapest, cleanest way to help improve national security, save energy and reduce pollution. Energy efficiency means smarter energy use, such as light bulbs that require one quarter the energy of traditional bulbs.

Using energy wisely:

• Reduces demand and decreases our overall dependence on fossil fuels, including imported oil.
• Boosts the economy. A recent study by the World Wildlife Fund and Tellus Institute found that energy efficiency policies could create 700,000 jobs by 2010 and 1.3 million by 2020.
• Reduces the threat of electricity shortages. California reduced demand for peak electricity by about 11 percent between June and August 2001, helping to avert the threat of rolling blackouts.
• Saves consumers money. Energy efficiency policies enacted over the past 25 years saved consumers $260 billion on their energy bills in 2000.
• Protects the environment. Just switching to compact fluorescent bulbs would avert 1.5 tons of global warming pollution per household.
• Can be implemented quickly. While it would take 5 years to build a new coal power plant, it only takes a month to weatherize a home.

Given these benefits and relative ease of implementing energy efficiency policies, we should create a public benefits trust fund that would provide matching funds to states for energy efficiency programs.