Bingaman: ‘Votes are present’ to pass renewables standard

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) predicted Monday that there is enough support to pass the renewable electricity standard he’s unveiling with a group of Democrats and Republicans tomorrow.

“I think that the votes are present in the Senate to pass a renewable electricity standard. I think that they are present in the House. I think that we need to get on with figuring out what we can pass and move forward,” Bingaman said in a prepared statement Monday.

Bingaman is usually reluctant to make predictions, so his pronouncement could provide a political shot in the arm to renewable energy advocates struggling to gain momentum in the waning weeks of the 111th Congress.

Bingaman, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and several other members are introducing legislation Tuesday to bolster generation of power from wind, solar, geothermal and other renewable sources.

Bingaman’s committee approved an RES last year as part of a broader energy package that attracted several GOP votes. That plan would require utilities to provide 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2021, although roughly a fourth of the mandate could be met with energy efficiency measures.

The new stand-alone version of the RES is expected to be similar to that measure.

The 15 percent target is weaker than many liberal Democrats, environmentalists and renewable energy companies have sought.

But a wide coalition of greens, labor unions and renewable energy companies last week signaled their support for the 15 percent standard that’s believed to have a better chance of success than higher targets.