U.S. President Barack Obama has asked congress to approve a 2012 budget that provides the Department of Energy (DOE) with US$29.5 billion.
Standing behind his State Of the Union address, the President's proposed budget supports the research, development and deployment of clean energy.
Along with setting aside US$457 million for solar energy, US$341 million for biofuels and biomass and $102 million geothermal energy, the budget provides US$580 million for advanced technology vehicle research. The Office of Science would receive US$5.4 billion for long term clean energy research. To support new nuclear energy technologies the administration has asked for US$853 million.
In his State of the Union address President Obama proclaimed, "We need to get behind this innovation. And to help pay for it, I'm asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies." Obama stood behind these words as well. The proposed budget seeks to eliminate oil and gas subsidies that currently amount to nearly US$4 billion a year.
Image Credit: yomanimus via Flickr.
Joseph Baker is a freelance writer living in Vancouver BC. His areas of focus include renewable energy, sustainability and climate change.
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