Congress seen backing renewables standard

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – There is enough support in Congress to pass legislation requiring utilities to generate a portion of their electricity supplies from wind, solar and other renewable energy sources, the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said on Tuesday.

The committee held a hearing on draft legislation that would set a national renewable electricity standard, which would help meet President Barack Obama’s goal to double renewable energy production over the next three years.

Under the bill, the amount of the U.S. electricity supply coming from renewable energy sources would gradually increase to 4 percent in 2011-12, 8 percent in 2013-15, 12 percent in 2016-18, 16 percent in 2019-20 and 20 percent in 2021-39.

Reuters