President Barack Obama tours the University of Miami Industrial Assessment Center in Miami, Florida, Feb. 23, 2012. The IAC is where students learn how to become industrial energy-efficiency experts as they help small to mid-sized manufacturers reduce their energy costs. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy).
In his February 23rd speech at the University of Miami, President Obama addressed the energy issue on everyone’s minds – gas prices. He detailed his all-of-the-above energy strategy that expands production of America’s energy resources, like oil and natural gas; promotes energy efficiency to save consumers and businesses money; and supports a wide variety of clean energy technologies.
In Miami, President Obama announced new programs that will provide $30 million for natural gas vehicle fuel research and $14 million for algal transportation fuel research, funding that has the potential to decrease our dependency on foreign oil and increase energy security. His remarks followed a tour of the University’s Industrial Assessment Center (IAC), which trains students to become energy-efficiency experts who can identify areas to improve productivity, reduce waste, and save energy at small- and medium-sized manufacturers. The IAC program was started by the DOE in 1976, and there are now 24 across the country.
The following week, President Obama travelled to Nashua, New Hampshire, to tour Nashua Community College’s automotive technology lab, where students learn how to work with alternative fuels and emerging automotive technologies. His remarks following the tour reiterated the all-of-the-above energy strategy being implemented by the Obama Administration.
To further emphasize the Administration’s energy agenda and fact-check the current gas price discussion, Dan Pfeiffer posted this blog, noting that:
The truth is that there is no silver bullet to address rising gas prices in the short term, but there are steps we can take to ensure the American people don’t fall victim to skyrocketing gas prices over the long term. That’s why since taking office the President has been focused on a sustained, “all-of-the-above” approach to developing new domestic energy sources, expanding oil and gas production, and reducing our reliance on foreign oil, most notably through the historic fuel economy standards the President has established, which will nearly double the efficiency of the vehicles we drive and save families $1.7 trillion at the pump.
These actions represent just a snapshot of the Administration’s efforts to promote American-made energy. For more information, check out the highlights below, read President Obama’s speech at the University of Miami, take a look at the blog entry on the Clean Energy Standard, and learn about how our dependence on foreign oil is declining.