Energy Platforms for 2016 Presidential Candidates

While the 2016 presidential election is just about one year away, America has still been turning its ear to hear what the candidates have to say on some of today?s top issues. While there are certain issues that tend to get more attention from the public than others, many candidates have already made a clear stance on their energy policy platform.

As of October 30, the following candidates are running for office and are considered “top tier” candidates, participating in their respective party’s most recent primary/primetime debate:

DEMOCRATS

Hillary Clinton

As part of her energy and climate agenda, Hillary Clinton has set two national goals:

To have more than 500,000,000 solar panels installed across the country by the end of her first term (2020).
To generate enough renewable energy within 10 years of Hillary Clinton taking office (2026) to power every home in the United States.

If met, these goals will increase America?s installed solar capacity by 700% by the year 2020, and make renewable energy around 1/3 of America?s total energy generation.

Hillary also has plans to launch a Clean Energy Challenge that will include new partnerships with rural communities, cities and states around the country. The ultimate goal is to put the United States on a path towards deep emission reductions by the year 2050.

Bernie Sanders

While Bernie Sanders’ platform on energy conservation has yet to be as goal-specific as Hillary Clinton?s, he states that as Americans ?we must transform our energy system away from polluting fossil fuels, and towards energy efficiency and sustainability.? His plans include efforts to weatherize millions of homes and buildings and accelerate the technology needed for wind and solar power generation.

Part of Sander?s energy efficiency and climate change key action points include a $3.2 billion economic stimulus grant package for a program that has already provided upgrades for 86,000 buildings and helped installed more than 9,500 solar energy systems.

Martin O’Malley

Martin O?Malley’s energy platform includes the following goals:

To have a complete transition to renewable energy in the United States by the year 2050, while completely ending our reliance on fossil fuels.
To double energy efficiency in the United States within 15 years while creating new jobs while wasting less energy.
To re-invest in the infrastructures, both physical and intellectual, needed to power a clean-energy economy, including an effort to modernize the country?s current electric grid.
To create a new clean energy job corporation, one that will rebuild, retrofit and restore our communities and environment. This includes efforts to retrofit buildings throughout the country to become more energy efficient.

Furthermore, O?Malley has promised that ?his first order in office? would be to work towards his bold vision of creating an entirely clean energy grid by 2050.

REPUBLICANS

Donald Trump

Real estate mogul Donald Trump has yet to make an official stand on his energy policy. In fact, there have been several reports of journalists attempting to ask Trump on his views on certain energy issues, only to not receive an official response.

The candidate’s official website does not discuss energy policies on his website. In general, many have found that energy topics fly under the radar at the republican debates, so only time will tell regarding what Donald Trump?s policy will look like.

Ben Carson

Ben Carson has yet to release information on an energy policy through his official campaign website. According to Carson?s Communications Director Doug Watts, the campaign is ?still formulating its energy plan and speaking to different energy experts.?

However, many in favor of a new renewable energy efficiency policy have been concerned over what Carson?s stance will be as the candidate has been quoted as saying “there is no overwhelming science” to support the idea that chances in the environment are caused by men, not by nature.

Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio’s official stance on energy policy involves a plan to optimize America?s resources for energy. This includes lifting bans on crude oil experts and working more with U.S. allies. His goal is to “take full advantage of energy potential” in an effort to make energy more affordable for consumers and to create jobs.

His plan has received praise from energy-producing states like Oklahoma and West Virginia and the energy-related job markets within these states.

There is still room for renewable energy resources within this plan. According to Rubio’s official website, by implementing “policies that expand access to oil, gas and coal development” the United States can also expand access to “the development of wind, solar, nuclear and hydropower energy.”

His goal is hoping to modernize regulations and permit processes that will work for both traditional energy sources and alternative energy sources to encourage more diversity throughout the country.

Jeb Bush

The title of Jeb Bush’s energy policy is “Unleash the Energy Revolution” and includes a plan to reverse current federal energy policies and in turn, boost the country’s economic growth rate from 2 percent a year to 4 percent.

His policy includes capitalizing on the opportunity to create jobs in the oil and gas fields as Bush believes that cheaper energy production can result in the creation of nearly 930,000 new manufacturing jobs by the year 2030.

Bush plans to execute this plan by:

Lifting restrictions on natural gas and oil exports
Approving the Keystone XL pipeline to move more resources to both Canada and the U.S.
Reducing overregulation of energy resources in an effort to prevent Obama?s Carbon Rule from increasing electricity prices
Deferring energy production to interested states such as Alaska and Virginia

Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz has yet to detail his full energy platform on his official website, but during his time serving the state of Texas, he has made several clear stances on his beliefs related to US energy policy, including:

His support of building the Keystone XL pipeline
Opposing funding for the development of renewable energy
Plans to spur economic growth by harnessing the nation?s current energy resources
Reducing American?s reliance on other nations for energy needs

Senator Ted Cruz announced the American Energy Renaissance Act in 2015 and with it he hopes to build new jobs at stop certain EPA regulations that exclude greenhouse gasses from regulation and those that impact coal and electric power plans.

Carly Fiorina

While Carly Fiorina has yet to launch an official energy platform on her site, some of her public statements on energy issues paint a picture on her views regarding energy policy.

According to Fiorina, the United States needs to ?innovate? its energy industry, instead of regulating it, stating it is the only way to bring climate change. Fiorina wants to make the United States the ?global energy powerhouse? of the 21st century.

According to the presidential hopeful, her energy policy platform includes:

Lifting the restrictions on exporting oil so America can be energy independent
Supporting the Keystone Pipeline and allowing representatives to vote on its development
Finding ways to invest in clean coal technology

Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee’s energy platform is centered around energy independence. He believes in exploring and using all type of domestically produced energy, including oil, gas, bio-fuels, hydro-electric power, wind, solar, nuclear power and coal. His platform states that renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power have great potential.

In turn, with the Keystone pipeline and new domestic sources of natural gas, Huckabee is hoping to create more jobs in America with his energy initiatives.

Rand Paul

Rand Paul’s energy platform includes supporting the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Paul also states that if elected, he would develop a ?sound, innovative and safe energy policy.?

Paul believes that current regulations and taxations have made it difficult for energy developers to take advantage of new forms of both clean and affordable energy. If elected, Paul would encourage more energy freedom and make discovering new energy technologies a priority in his administration. The ultimate goal is to find more efficient forms of energy, no matter what they may be, to reduce costs for the consumer.

John Kasich

John Kaisch’s energy platform is one that focuses on balance, between creating jobs and being more efficient. John Kaisch?s fact sheet regarding his energy policy includes several main points:

To keep energy affordable and reliable, by pursuing all sources, including traditional sources, alternatives and renewables
To achieve energy independence by sourcing all energy in North America and approving the Keystone XL Pipeline
Remove regulations put in place by the Obama Administration?s Clean Power Plan
Balance energy production regulations to balance commitment to the environment and job creation

Overall, this policy encourages research into new technologies that can benefit both the economy and the environment. This policy believes that technologies such as long-life batteries, fuel cells, ?smart? energy grids and clean coal can help improve the environment, increase energy efficiency and conserve energy and that certain barriers preventing this type of development.

Chris Christie

Chris Christie’s National Energy Strategy is one that includes the following plans:

Building necessary infrastructure to get products to markets and to ensure the proper functioning of America?s energy market
Lifting the current bans on crude oil exports
Rationalizing the U.S.?s approach to oil export regulation
Developing greater technologies to maximize the country?s available energy resources in an environmentally responsible manner

During the Republican debates, Governor Chris Christie discussed how he would address climate change, and proposed an energy policy platform, similar to the current plan laid out by Barack Obama, that includes investing in all types of energy. This includes natural gas and oil, as well as solar and wind power where it is affordable.

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An Unbiased Look at Energy Platforms of 2016 Presidential Candidates

DEMOCRATS

REPUBLICANS