Campaign Promises

Departments -> Energy

ItemEnergy
ConservationGrade
EN-1The Promise: "Will call on businesses, government and the American people to meet the goal of reducing our demand for electricity 15 percent by the end of the next decade."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data in its "Annual Energy Outlook" report for CY2012 indicated that the demand for electricity in the USA would grow by 22% from 3.877B kilowatthours in CY2010 to 4.716B kilowatthours by CY2035.

The same report indicated that residential electricity demand would grow 18% and commercial demand would grow by 28% over the same timeframe. Electricity demand in the transportation sector will reportedly triple from 7B kilowatthours in CY2010 to 22B kilowatthours by CY2035.

While President Obama did call on the nation to double its production of renewable electricity by CY2020 and double its energy efficiency by CY2030 in his 02/12/13 State of the Union address, he did not specifically call on America to reduce its electricity demand by 15% at any time during his two terms in office. A later EIA report indicates that as of the end of CY2016 and based on long-term trends and "the growing demand for chargeable electronic devices of every description," the nation's demand for electricity is expected to increase by 5% per year through CY2050.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-2The Promise: "...will require governors and local leaders in our metropolitan areas to make energy conservation a required part of their planning for the expenditure of federal transportation funds."
When/Where: Barack Obama's "Plan to Make America a Global Energy Leader" dated 10/18/07
Source: https://grist.org/article/obama-energy-fact-sheet/
Status:The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 funded the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program which, in part, was designed to develop, promote, implement and manage energy efficiency and conservation projects down to the state, county and city level to improve energy efficiency in the transportation sector.

Initially funded at $3.2B under the ARRA, the EECBG had $1.8B for cities and counties, $767M for states, $54M for Indian Tribes, and $454M for competitive grants.

Title 23, Highways, of the Code of Federal Regulations (23 CFR) Section 450.316 (Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process) has long mandated "consistency of metropolitan transportation planning with applicable federal, state, and local energy conservation programs, goals, and objectives."

President Obama championed energy conservation throughout his two terms in office. To that end, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published a Final Rule on 05/27/16 (81 FR 34049) requiring governors and local leaders to make energy conservation an integral part of their transportation plans under the aegis of the "Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act" signed into law by President Obama on 06/07/12 and the "Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act" signed into law by President Obama on 12/04/15. The Final Rule states in part that states and metropolitan/non-metropolitan areas must adopt measures to "...protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation..."

With regard to funding being contingent upon performance, the Final Rule cited above further states: "U.S.C. Title 23 U.S.C. 104(f) and 49 U.S.C. 5305(g) authorize funds to support transportation planning at metropolitan and statewide levels. As a condition to receive this funding, requirements are established for metropolitan and statewide transportation planning under 23 U.S.C. 134 and 135 and 49 U.S.C. 5303 and 5304." These sections call for development of transportation plans and Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs) in all States and metropolitan areas. The information collection activities to prepare federally required plans and programs, and the planning studies proposed for funding in Unified Planning Work Programs (UPWPs) and State Planning and Research (SP&R) work programs, are necessary to monitor and evaluate current and projected usage and performance of transportation systems nationwide, statewide, and in each urbanized area.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
Electrical GridGrade
EN-3The Promise: "Will establish a Grid Modernization Commission to facilitate adoption of Smart Grid practices across the nation's electricity grid to the point of general adoption and ongoing market support in the U.S. electric sector."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, signed into law by President Bush on 12/19/07, created a Smart Grid Advisory Committee and a Smart Grid Task Force. The need for another organization, this one called the "Grid Modernization Commission," based on a promise made by then-Candidate Obama nine months after the above act was signed into law, was questionable.

Nonetheless, in late-CY2014 the Department of Energy (DOE) created a "Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium," a partnership between DOE headquarters and national laboratories to bring together leading experts and resources to collaborate on the goal of modernizing the USA's electricity grid. Not exactly a "commission," but close enough to satisfy promise fulfillment.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-4The Promise: "...will pursue a major investment in our national utility grid using smart metering, distributed storage and other advanced technologies to accommodate 21st century energy requirements..."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 included $11B for smart grid technologies, transmission system expansion and upgrades, and other investments to modernize and enhance the electric transmission infrastructure to improve energy efficiency and reliability. Of that amount, $4.5B was for grid modernization.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-5The Promise: "...will instruct the Secretary of Energy to: (1) establish a Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program to provide reimbursement of one-fourth of qualifying Smart Grid investments..."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:On 04/16/09, Vice President Biden announced that nearly $4B under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 would be distributed in the form of Department of Energy's (DOE's) Smart Grid Investment Grant Program ($3.375B) and $615M for smart grid storage, monitoring and technology initiative demonstration projects.

Also on 04/16/09, the DOE released a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program and a Funding Opportunity Announcement for a smart grid regional demonstration initiative.

The program for federal matching funds for smart grid investment costs was codified in 42 USC, Chapter 152, Section 17386 which became law on 01/03/12. This law states "The Secretary shall establish a Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program to provide grants of up to one-half (50 percent) of qualifying Smart Grid investments." This went beyond Candidate Obama's 25% promise.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
Energy ConsumptionGrade
EN-6The Promise: "Half of all cars purchased by the federal government will be plug-in hybrids or all-electric by 2012."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:E.O. 13423, signed by President George W. Bush on 01/24/07, required federal agencies to use plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) when commercially available at a cost reasonably comparable to non-PHEVs. This E.O. was superceded by E.O. 13693, issued by President Obama on 03/19/15.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 signed into law on 02/17/09 included $300 million to buy more high efficiency motor vehicles for the federal fleet, including hybrids, hybrid plug-ins and all-electric cars.

Executive Order 13514 dated 10/05/09 established policy for federal fleet vehicles to reduce the use of fossil fuels by using low greenhouse gas emitting vehicles including alternative fuel vehicles (i.e. electric fueled vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, etc.).

Based on the most recent data available from the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Fleet Report as of end-FY2012, the federal government (civilian agencies, military and Postal Service) operated just over 650K vehicles worldwide. Of these, 234K were acquired by the Federal Government during the timeframe CY2009-CY2012. The total acquisition breakout by fuel type was as follows during this timeframe:
Gasoline - 94,774
Diesel - 17,683
Gasoline Hybrid - 13,853
Diesel Hybrid - 117
Gasoline Low Greenhouse Gas (LGHG) - 1,346
Diesel LGHG - 24
Gasoline Plug-In Hybrid - 150
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) - 327
E-85 (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) - 103,638
Electric - 2,091
Hydrogen - 9
Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) - 51

Total: 234,063

Total Plug-In Hybrid and Electric: 2,241 or less than 1%

Total Inventory of Passenger Vehicles ("cars") as of end-FY2012: 115,451.

Assuming that most Plug-In Hybrid and Electric vehicles acquired during the CY2009-CY2012 timeframe were Passenger Vehicles, the percentage remains less than 1% for the timeframe established by President Obama.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-7The Promise: "...will implement legislation that phases out traditional incandescent light bulbs by 2014. This measure alone will save American consumers $6 billion per year on monthly electricity bills..."
When/Where: Barack Obama's "Plan to Make America a Global Energy Leader" dated 10/18/07
Source: https://grist.org/article/obama-energy-fact-sheet/
Status:The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 contained legislation to make incandescent light bulbs more efficient by setting maximum wattage requirements for all general service incandescent light bulbs producing 310-2600 lumens of light. Exempt were several classes of specialty lights, including appliance lamps, rough service bulbs, 3-way, colored lamps, stage lighting, plant lights, candelabra lights under 60 watts, outdoor post lights less than 100 watts, nightlights and shatter resistant bulbs. This law effectively banned the manufacturing or importing of most incandescent bulbs.

The major U.S. producer of standard incandescent light bulbs, General Electric, shut its last production facility in Winchester, VA in 09/10. The leading replacement light bulbs, compact fluorescents (CFLs), are mainly produced in China.

President Obama announced new "standards" for incandescent light bulbs on 06/29/09. In response to these new standards, Sylvania and other light bulb manufacturers introduced new incandescent light bulbs that met the standards.

The Republican-led House failed to obtain a two-thirds majority vote on 07/12/11 to overturn the above standards. The standards went into effect in CY2012 with the phase-out of 100-watt traditional incandescent light bulbs.

The production of 75-watt traditional incandescent light bulbs ceased in CY2013, followed by 40- and 60-watt traditional incandescent light bulbs in CY2014.

This promise has been fulfilled.		1.00
EN-8The Promise: "Will create a competitive grant program to award those states and localities that take the first steps in implementing new building codes that prioritize energy efficiency, and provide a federal match for those states with leading-edge public benefits funds that support energy efficiency retrofits of existing buildings."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: To Combat Climate Change and Create a Green Economy" dated 02/07/08.
Source: https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/498/provide-grants-to-encourage-energy-efficient-build/
Status:Source is cited for confirmation of exact promise wording only, as it existed before original "When/Where" campaign document was deleted from archival websites.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 signed into law by President Obama on 02/17/09 provided $3.2B in initial grants to fund the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program administered by the Department of Energy's Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs (WIP). Of that amount, $454M was allocated to competitive grants for building energy audit and retrofits, as well as building code development, implementation and inspections.

The first grants were awarded to 9 cities and 10 counties on 07/24/09.

However, this competitive grant program was first authorized under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, signed into law by President Bush on 12/19/07. There was no need for President Obama to "create" this competitive grant program.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-9The Promise: "Will make a national commitment to weatherize at least 1 million low-income homes each year for the next decade, which can reduce energy usage across the economy and help moderate energy prices for all"
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 signed into law by President Obama on 02/17/09 included $5B to expand the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). Of that amount, $4.746B was earmarked for low-income home weatherization, $90M for Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers (SERC) Grants, and $29M for WAP training centers.

Under ARRA funding, the Department of Energy (DOE) reported that more than 806K homes had been weatherized over the period CY2010-CY2012.

In recent years, the WAP targets for the number of low-income homes to be weatherized was as follows:
FY2014: 24,600. This target was exceeded. 38,000 homes were weatherized.
FY2015: 30,000 homes
FY2016: 33,000 homes
FY2017: 35,000 homes

Restated, this promise was to weatherize 1M low-income homes "each year for the next decade."

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-10The Promise: "...we will get one million 150 mile-per-gallon plug-in hybrids on our roads within six years..."
When/Where: Obama Campaign Speech, Lansing, MI, dated 08/04/08, as reported in the New York Times with credit to CQ Transcriptions, Inc.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/us/politics/04text-obama.html?pagewanted=all
Status:None of the statistics studied supported the concept that PHEVs would be capable of attaining 150 Miles Per Gallon (MPG) by CY2015, six years after President Obama first assumed the presidency. In CY2016, for example, some of the more popular PHEVs were rated as follows by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
-2016 Chevy Volt: 106 MPGe (combined electric/gas) and 42 MPG (gas only)
-2016 Cadillac ELR Sport: 80 MPGe/30 MPG
-2016 Ford C-Max Energi: 88 MPGe/38 MPG
-2016 Ford Fusion Energi: 88 MPGe/38 MPG
-2016 Toyota Prius: 95 MPGe/50 MPG

While the above are PHEV vehicles, they should not be confused with the all-electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Bolt, which had an EPA-certified range of 238 miles when it became available in late-CY2016.

According to the EPA, the difference between Miles Per Gallon equivalent (MPGe) and MPG is that MPGe takes into consideration the efficiency of a car when it is running on both gas and battery power, and is intended to give an overall efficiency rating.

During the period CY2009-CY2015, approximately 2.6M PHEVs were sold in the USA, none of which had a 150 mile-per-gallon capability.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-11The Promise: "Will 'flip' incentives to utility companies by: requiring states to conduct proceedings to implement incentive changes; and offering them targeted technical assistance. These measures will benefit utilities for improving energy efficiency, rather than just from supporting higher energy consumption."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included $3.1 billion for DOE's State Energy Program (SEP). Allocation of this funding depended on whether or not states adopted utility rate "decoupling" and new building codes. Although only half of the states and the District of Columbia had electricity and/or gas decoupling mechanisms in place as of end-CY2010, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 5 territories benefited from these funds.

With regard to compliance with new building codes, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) publishes its recommended standards (Standard 90.1) every three years. The Department of Energy (DOE) has one year to decide whether the new standards are more energy efficient than the previous codes. If so, states are required under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to certify to the DOE that their building energy codes meet the new standards.

The most recent ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for CY2016 was approved by the DOE, after lengthy analysis, in 03/18. The DOE determined that Standard 90.1-2016 would achieve greater energy efficiency in buildings subject to the code and estimated that the following savings would accrue based on ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2016:
8.2% energy cost savings;
7.9% source energy savings; and
6.7% site energy savings.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-12The Promise: "...will increase fuel economy standards 4 percent per year..."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan for America: "Blueprint for Change" dated 10/09/08.
Source: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/550007-barack-obama-2008-blueprint-for-change.html
Status:On 03/27/09, the Obama administration announced the first increase in fuel economy standards for cars in more than 25 years. The move increased fuel economy standards for light vehicles in CY2011 to 27.3 miles per gallon (mpg), or 8% over the CY2010 model year requirement.

On 04/01/10, Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood announced new rules, co-signed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), setting fuel efficiency standards for model years 2012-2016. The goal was to achieve the equivalent of 35.5 mpg for cars and trucks by CY2016, an increase of nearly 6% per year.

On 11/16/11, the Department of Transportation and the EPA announced new standards for light vehicles for the CY2017-2025 timeframe equivalent to 54.5 mpg, an increase of nearly 5% per year.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-13The Promise: "Within one year of becoming President, the entire White House fleet will be converted to plug-ins as security permits."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:Secret Service requirements for vehicle security for the President and members of his Cabinet prevail and no "plug-in" limosine hybrids are likely to ever make it into that part of the White House fleet.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment of 2009 provided $285M for the purchase of about 17,600 commercially available, fuel efficient vehicles for the government fleet. Of that number, 2,500 would be hybrids (but not necessarily "plug-ins"). Non-sensitive White House vehicles would be included in this number.

But the President's campaign promise was to convert the "entire" White House fleet to plug-ins, not hybrids vehicles, "within one year" of taking office. This didn't happen.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-14The Promise: "...a proposal that alone removes 50 million cars' worth of pollution from the road and reduces our oil consumption 2.5 million barrels a day by 2020."
When/Where: Campaign Speech, Portsmouth, NH, 10/08/07.
Source: https://grist.org/article/obamas-speech/
Status:Enacted by Congress in CY1975, the purpose of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Program is to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks.

On 05/21/10, President Obama released a memorandum with the subject "Improving Energy Security, American Competitiveness and Job Creation, and Environmental Protection through a Transformation of our Nation's Fleet of Cars and Trucks." This memorandum set the stage for the establishment of updated CAFE standards for fuel emissions.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) immediately established the standards for cars and light trucks for CY2011-2016, raising average fuel efficiency by CY2016 to the equivalent of 35.5 Miles Per Gallon (MPG). On 08/28/12, the Obama Administration went further, setting standards to increase fuel economy to the equivalent of 54.5 MPG for cars and light-duty trucks by CY2025.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these new standards could improve fuel economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save consumers more than $1.7T at the gas pump, and reduce vehicular oil consumption by 12B barrels. This means U.S. reliance on foreign oil for its vehicles could be significantly reduced and oil consumption could be further reduced by more than 2.4M barrels per day by CY2030.

According to a report issued by the Union of Concerned Scientists, for every gallon of gasoline saved as a result of these standards, 24 pounds of global warming emissions could be avoided (5 pounds for drilling, refining, and distributing gasoline and 19 pounds while burning gasoline during vehicle operation). The CY2017-CY2025 standards, when combined with the first round of standards (CY2011-CY2016), could reduce global warming emissions by 470 million metric tons. Based on this determination, coupled with an EPA estimate that the average amount of carbon dioxide emitted per passenger vehicle is 4.75 metric tons per vehicle, per year, it is conceivable that nearly 50M vehicles' worth of pollution (carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, etc.) could be removed from the U.S. air by CY2020.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-15The Promise: "...will establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) to speed the introduction of low-carbon non-petroleum fuels..."
When/Where: Obama's "Plan to Make America a Global Energy Leader," dated 10/18/07
Source: https://grist.org/article/obama-energy-fact-sheet/
Status:As of end-CY2016, no "National Low Carbon Fuel Standard" (LCFS) had been established.

Despite the absence of a national LCFS but recognizing the need for low/no carbon fuel solutions, U.S. industry took the initiative to introduce vehicles powered by fuels other than diesel and gasoline. Examples are biofuels, advanced diesel, natural gas, hydrogen (for fuel cells), and electricity (for plug-in and plug-in hybrid vehicles).

In 12/11, as a result of a lawsuit by oil industry and out-of-state farm groups, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern Division of California ruled that some aspects of California's LCFS were unconstitutional. A CY2013 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld California's LCFS. In 06/14, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear this case, letting stand the 9th Circuit Court's decision, indirectly validating California's LCFS as a possible model for the establishment of a national LCFS.

An opportunity also presented itself for promise fulfillment under the "Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act" (MAP-21) (S. 1813) signed into law by President Obama on 04/06/12. LCFS was not addressed in that bill.

In CY2014, a study conducted by Charles River Associates (CRA) revealed that a nationwide LCFS would increase average U.S. gasoline and diesel prices by as much as 80% within five years and up to 170% within 10 years, suggesting that the average national price for gasoline would be about $5 per gallon by CY2020 and about $7.50 a gallon by CY2025. Further, the study indicated that a national LCFS would cause a net loss of up to 4.5M jobs.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-16The Promise: "...putting in place policies like conservation, development of alternative fuels and investments in new technologies to reduce our dependence on foreign oil..."
When/Where: Obama's "Plan to Make America a Global Energy Leader," dated 10/18/07
Source: https://grist.org/article/obama-energy-fact-sheet/
Status:The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included more than $80B for the generation of renewable energy sources, expanding manufacturing capacity for clean energy solutions, advancing vehicle and fuel technologies, and building a smarter electric grid.

According to U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, oil and other petroleum products imported by the USA from all sources when President Obama assumed the presidency in CY2009 and during ensuing years was as follows:
CY2009....4.267B barrels or 11.7M barrels per day (b/d)
CY2010... 4.304B barrels or 11.8M b/d
CY2011....4.174B barrels or 11.4M b/d
CY2012....3.878B barrels or 10.6M b/d
CY2013....3.598B barrels or 9.8M b/d
CY2014....3.372B barrels or 9.2M b/d
CY2015....3.431B barrels or 9.4M b/d
CY2016....2.865B barrels or 7.9M b/d

Imports of oil from all sources decreased by 3.8M b/d between CY2009 and CY2016.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-17The Promise: "...will work to ensure that these clean alternative fuels are developed and incorporated into our national supply as soon as possible...will require at least 60 billion gallons of advanced biofuels by 2030..."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:According to the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA), the USA had the capability to produce 12B gallons of corn-based ethanol in CY2010.

On 08/01/10, a technology center in Denver, WY announced that it is producing up to 400 gallons of synthetic jet fuel daily, a first step in reducing the airline industry's consumption of an estimated 23B gallons of jet fuel each year, producing about 2% of the world's carbon emissions according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The prospects for attaining this goal was further improved on 07/01/11 when the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International, an organization that sets standards for airlines, approved the mixing of organic waste and non-food plants with aircraft fuel.

In CY2012, four commercial cellulosic or advanced biorefineries were created which, when they became operational in CY2014, had a combined capacity to produce over 80M gallons of advanced biofuels per year. These are the four facilities:
1. DuPont-Nevada Site Cellulosic Ethanol Facility at Nevada, Iowa. Capacity: 30M gallons per year.
2. Abengoa-Bioenergy Hugoton Cellulosic Ethanol Facility at Hugoton, Kansas. Capacity: 25M gallons per year plus 21 Megawatts of renewable electricity.
3. POET-DSM Project Liberty at Emmetsburg, Iowa. Capacity: 25M gallons per year.
4. Quad County Corn Adding Cellulosic Ethanol, or ACE at Galva, Iowa. Capacity: 3.75M gallons per year.

The military has also been making great strides in the adaptation of its resources to utilize biofuels. The USAF C-17 Globemaster has been certified for flight operations using hydro-processed blended biofuels. The Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft successfully flight tested a biofuel camelina/JP-8 jet fuel blend in 03/11. The U.S. Navy's F/A-18 Hornets and helicopters are among its airborne assets flying with mixtures of biofuels and jet fuel. The Navy's "Great Green Fleet" became a reality in 01/16 when the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis left on a Far East deployment accompanied by five biofuel-powered ships. Those ships (three destroyers, one cruiser and one fast combat support ship) were powered by a biofuel blend made from tallow (rendered beef fat). These innovations by the military come at a higher cost, however:
USAF: $59/gallon for alcohol-to-jet fuel;
USN: $26/gallon for biofuels.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-18The Promise: "...will strategically invest $150 billion over 10 years to accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of commercial scale renewable energy, encourage energy efficiency, invest in low emissions coal plants, advance the next generation of biofuels and fuel infrastructure, and begin transition to a new digital electricity grid."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The principal government entity to carry out this promise is Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) within the Department of Energy.

During President Obama's two terms in office, the EERE was funded as follows:
FY2010....$2.216B
FY2011....$1.772B
FY2012....$1.781B
FY2013....$1.692B
FY2014....$1.825B
FY2015....$1.914B
FY2016....$2.069B
FY2017....$2.073B

The above totals $15.342B, with two years to go to reach the 10 year mark. Even if a combination of other agencies/organizations have received similar levels of funding, it was inconceivable that the promised $150B investment would be a reality by CY2019.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-19The Promise: "...will make the federal government a leader in the green building market, achieving a 40 percent increase in efficiency in all new federal buildings within five years and ensuring that all new federal buildings are zero-emissions by 2025."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 of 02/17/09 includes at least $4.5 billion to turn federal buildings into "high-performance green buildings". As of 03/30/11, $5.8B had been invested in energy efficiency projects for federal buildings.

Supporting the stated goal, the General Services Administration (GSA) appointed Ms. Eleni Reed to the newly created position of "Chief Greening Officer" on 06/09/10. In this role, Ms. Reed's mandate was to oversee the "greening" of 1,500 federally owned and 8,100 federally leased buildings.

However, Executive Order 13514 issued by President Obama on 10/05/09 lowered federal building energy efficiency expectations. It mandated that at least 15% (not 40%) of existing federal buildings and leases met "Energy Efficiency Guiding Principles" by CY2015 (not CY2014 - within five years of President Obama's first term inauguration) and that all new federal buildings met 100% conformance goals by CY2030 (not CY2025).

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-20The Promise: "I showed up at this event in a government vehicle that does not have a flexible-fuel tank. When I'm President, I will make sure that every vehicle purchased by the federal government does."
When/Where: Obama Campaign Speech to Detroit Economic Club, Detroit, MI, dated 05/07/07.
Source: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Remarks_of_Senator_Barack_Obama_to_the_Detroit_Economic_Club
Status:Flexible-Fuel Vehicles (FFV) are capable of operating on E85 (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline). The main advantage of employing E85 is that it reduces demand on petroleum, but ethanol contains less energy than gasoline and by some accounts provides 25-30% fewer miles per gallon.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) signed into law by President Bush on 08/08/05 mandated the use of light duty FFVs in "covered" federal fleets (fleets operating in a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) with 20 or more vehicles, which are capable of being centrally fueled, barring exceptions). Under this law, 75% of all covered light duty vehicle acquisitions had to be FFVs (law enforcement, emergency vehicles and vehicles located outside the 125+ MSAs covered by EPACT were exempt). It also mandated 100% use of alternative fuel in FFVs.

Executive Order (EO) 13423, "Strengthening Federal Environment, Energy and Transportation Management," was signed by President Bush on 01/24/07. It required federal agencies to exercise leadership in petroleum reduction through improvements in fleet efficiency and the use of alternative fuel vehicles and alternative fuels. This EO was revoked by President Obama on 03/19/15 and replaced by EO 13963 entitled "Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade."

EO 13963 steps back from the basic tenet of this promise. It stated that by 12/31/20, use of alternative fuel vehicles, including E-85 compatible vehicles, zero emission and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and compressed natural gas powered vehicles must "account for 20 percent of all new agency passenger vehicle acquisitions and by December 31, 2025, zero emission vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles account for 50 percent of all new agency passenger vehicles."

The words "every vehicle" in this promise were interpreted to mean 100% of non-exempt vehicles.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-21The Promise: "...will work with Congress and auto companies to ensure that all new vehicles have FFV [Flexible Fuel Vehicle] capability -- the capability by the end of his first term in office."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:Although all major U.S. auto manufacturers have aggressive FFV programs in place, it was unrealistic to think that "all new vehicles" manufactured by the end of CY2012 (the end of President Obama's first term in office) would have some type of FFV capability.

The Open Fuel Standard Act of 2011 (H.R. 1687 and S. 1603), introduced by Congressman John Shimkus and Senator Maria Cantwell on 5/3/11 and 9/22/11 respectively promoted the adoption of non-petroleum based fuels (ethanol, methanol, natural gas, hydrogen, biodiesel, plug-in electric, fuel cell) by the following goals: 50% of automobiles manufactured in Model Year (MY) 2014, 80% in MY2016 and 95% by MY2017. Both bills expired with the 112th Congress at the end of CY2012.

This bill was reintroduced by Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY) as H.R. 2493 on 06/25/13, modified as being applicable to:
- not less than 30% of qualified vehicles manufactured beginning in MY2016 (not 50% by MY2014); and
- not less than 50% of qualified vehicles beginning in MY2017 and each subsequent year (not 80% in MY2016).

In this proposed bill, the term "qualified vehicle" meant a covered vehicle that has been warranted by its manufacturer (1) to operate on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel; is a flexible fuel vehicle; (2) is a plug-in electric drive vehicle; (3) is propelled solely by a fuel cell that produces power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel; or (4) is propelled solely by something other than an internal combustion engine and produces power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel. This bill expired with the 113th Congress at the end of CY2014,

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-22The Promise: "...will invest in cost-effective retrofits to achieve a 25 percent increase in efficiency of existing federal buildings within 5 years."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:While Promise Number EN-19 appears closely related, it pertains to 40% of "new" federal buildings. This promise pertains to 25% of "existing" federal buildings.

Executive Order 13514 issued by President Obama on 10/05/09 lowered federal building energy efficiency expectations. It mandated that at least 15% (not 25%) of "existing" federal buildings and leases meet "Energy Efficiency Guiding Principles" by CY2015, not CY2014, which would have been within five years of President Obama's first term inauguration.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-23The Promise: "...will put forward the resources necessary to achieve a 15 percent reduction in federal energy consumption by 2015."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 provided $4.5B for the greening of federal buildings as well as $300M for the acquisition of federal motor vehicles with higher fuel economy, including: hybrid vehicles; electric vehicles; and commercially-available, plug-in hybrid vehicles.

On 10/05/09, President Obama signed Executive Order 13514 that set energy consumption reduction goals for federal agencies. However, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, signed into law by President Bush on 12/19/07, had already mandated a federal building energy reduction goal of 30% by CY2015.

The ARRA funding reflected above and follow-on annual appropriations provided the "resources necessary" to satisfy the basic tenets of this promise.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-24The Promise: "...will use a portion of the revenue generated from the cap-and-trade permit auction to make investments that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and accelerate deployment of low-carbon technologies. The investments will focus on three critical areas: 1) Basic Research; 2)Technology Demonstration and 3) Aggressive Commercial Deployment and Clean Market Creation."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) (H.R. 2454) was introduced by Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) on 05/15/09 and was thus also known as the "Waxman-Markey Bill." This legislation would have regulated and taxed carbon emissions of power plants and private companies. It narrowly passed the House by a vote of 219 to 212 on 06/26/09. It never reached the Senate floor for discussion or a vote due to Republican opposition based in part on their belief that the "Cap-and-Trade" portion of the ACES amounted to a massive energy tax (a 15% increase according to Department of Treasury estimates). This bill died when the 111th Congress expired at the end of CY2010.

Undaunted, President Obama stated on 11/03/10, after his Democratic party lost control of the Senate, that "cap-and-trade was just one way of skinning the cat; it was not the only way." At his direction, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) produced a 1,560-page Clean Power Plan (CPP) regulation which was publicly implemented by President Obama on 08/03/15.

A group of 29 states, along with utility and energy companies, immediately challenged the CPP, elevating their opposition through the judicial system to the Supreme Court.

On 02/09/16 the Supreme Court stayed implementation of the CPP pending judicial review, which meant that until the Supreme Court announced a final ruling, the CPP had no legal effect. While the stay is in effect, the EPA cannot impose CPP requirements on any state that does not voluntarily recognize those requirements. By end-CY2016, the Supreme Court had not issued its final ruling on this topic.

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EN-25The Promise: "...will establish a 10 percent federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to require that 10 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources...by 2012."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The goal of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) was to stimulate market and technology development so that renewable energy would be competitive with conventional forms of electric power.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) (H.R. 2454) was introduced by Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) on 05/15/09. It narrowly passed the House on 06/26/09. But in the absence of any Senate action, this bill died when the 111th Congress expired at the end of CY2010.

ACES would have established a federal RPS, requiring that 6% of electric power come from renewable resources by CY2012, and 20% by 2020.

As of end-CY2016, 38 states had established state-level RPS or goals. The establishment of a 10% RPS by CY2012 at the national/federal level did not happen.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
Energy - GeneralGrade
EN-26The Promise: "I will report to the American people every year on the State of our Energy Future..."
When/Where: Campaign Speech, Portsmouth, NH, dated 10/08/07.
Source: https://2008election.procon.org/sourcefiles/Obama20071008.pdf
Status:To one extent or another, President Obama addressed the nation's energy status during his annual "State of the Union" reports to Congress. But this promise was to deliver an annual "State of our Energy Future" report to the American people.

CY2010: President Obama had until 01/20/10 (one year after his first term inauguration) to initially honor this promise. He didn't do so.

CY2011: On 03/30/11, he delivered a speech at Georgetown University entitled "A Secure Energy Future." This non-national speech was delivered in conjunction with the Department of Energy's release of its "Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future."

CY2012: On 02/23/12, he delivered a major address at the University of Miami focused on energy.

CY2013: A national address, entitled "Taking Control of Our Energy Future," was delivered by the President in his weekly address to the nation on 03/03/13.

CY2014: On 05/09/14, President Obama delivered remarks on "American Energy" at a Walmart in Mountain View, CA.

CY2015: On 08/25/15, President Obama was a principal speaker at the National Clean Energy Summit held in Las Vegas, NV.

CY2016: President Obama delivered a weekly address on 02/06/16 entitled "Doubling Our Clean Energy Funding to Address the Challenge of Climate Change" as well as the weekly address of 08/13/16 entitled "Providing a Better, Cleaner, Safer Future for Our Children."

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-27The Promise: "...will swap oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve...to help bring down prices at the pump."
When/Where: Obama and Biden's Plan for America: "Blueprint for Change," dated 10/09/08.
Source: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/550007/barack-obama-2008-blueprint-for-change.pdf
Status:When this promise was made in 10/08, gasoline cost an average of $3.80 per gallon, having peaked in 07/08 at around $4.10 per gallon. The ensuing months to President Obama's inauguration saw national average prices per gallon of regular gasoline decline to around $1.90 per gallon.

By 05/09/11, the national average cost of regular gasoline had climbed to $3.97 per gallon. In response on 06/23/11, the Obama Administration released 30M barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help Americans during their CY2011 summer vacation travels.

As of 12/31/16, the national average cost of one gallon of regular gasoline was $2.33. In the Contiguous United States (CONUS), California had the highest average cost per gallon at $2.75 whereas South Carolina enjoyed the lowest at $2.08 for regular gasoline. Gasoline prices are usually higher in Hawaii and Alaska when compared to the CONUS average with $3.00 and $2.64 respectively per gallon of regular gasoline on the same date. Source: www.gasbuddy.com.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-28The Promise: "...will launch a Clean Technologies Venture Capital Fund that will provide $10 billion a year for five years to get the most promising clean energy technologies off the ground."
When/Where: Campaign Speech, Portsmouth, NH, dated 10/08/07.
Source: https://2008election.procon.org/sourcefiles/Obama20071008.pdf
Status:The promised "Clean Technologies Venture Capital Fund" had not been created as of end-CY2016. In fact, the Brookings Institute has since reported that venture capital funding for clean technologies, which includes sectors like solar, energy storage and smart grid, dropped by 30% between 2011 and 2016.

Loan guarantees for clean technologies initiatives were included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, but did not satisfy the exact specifications stated in this promise.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-29The Promise: "...will invest federal resources, including tax incentives, cash prizes and government contracts into developing the most promising technologies with the goal of getting the first two billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol into the system by 2013."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "Make America a Global Energy Leader," dated 10/07/07.
Source: https://grist.org/article/obama-energy-fact-sheet/
Status:Cellulosic ethanol is made from corn stalks, wood chips and other biomass such as grass clippings, and not food such as corn.

The Renewable Fuels Reinvestment Act of 2010 (H.R. 4940), introduced by Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) on 03/25/10, would have extended the $1.01 per gallon tax credit for cellulosic ethanol producers beyond 12/31/10. This bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Trade and no further action was taken when the 111th Congress expired at the end of CY2010. No similar bill was introduced during the 112th, 113th or 114th Congress.

Cellulosic ethanol production didn't begin in earnest until CY2012. Financing was the biggest impediment to progress in building the needed cellulosic ethanol production plants on an industrial/national scale. Banks considered financing the first of these plants too risky.

By end-CY2016, POET Biorefining LLC, the nation's premier producer of cellulosic ethanol, had ethanol productions sites at Hanlontown, Iowa; Hudson, South Dakota; and Caro, Michigan. The combined production capability of these three facilities was 171M gallons per year (MGPY).

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-30The Promise: "...will provide $4 billion retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers, so that the new fuel-efficient cars can be built in the U.S. by American workers rather than overseas."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:During CY2009 and CY2010, retooling tax credits were provided to the auto industry at the city and state levels.

As to loans for retooling, the Department of Energy (DOE) has been effective in providing loans to the auto industry such as the $1.4B loan to Nissan in 01/10 to retool a Smyrna, TN plant where it will build its electric LEAF sedan and batteries for that vehicle. Six months prior, Nissan had won a conditional $1.6B loan guarantee under the DOE's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program. On 08/29/12, Forbes Magazine reported additional success stories:

Ford: used a $5.9B loan from the DOE to convert two truck plants to small-car production and to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles like the Ford Focus EV and C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid.

Nissan: received a $1.4B loan from the DOE to build a battery plant and modify an existing car factory in Tennessee to produce the electric Nissan Leaf instead of producing that vehicle in Japan.

Tesla: used a $465M DOE loan to build a battery plant and retool part of a former Toyota-GM factory to build the Model S, its second electric car.

Vehicle Production Group: used a $50M DOE loan to add a compressed natural gas version of its MV-1 handicapped accessible van.

Johnson Controls: used a $300M DOE grant to build an advanced-battery cell plant in Michigan to relocate work to the USA from Europe.

Dow Kokam: a joint venture between Dow Chemical, a Korean battery maker and a French engineering company used a $161M DOE grant to build an advanced-battery factory in Michigan.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-31The Promise: "...will...invest $150 billion over ten years to deploy clean technologies..."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan for America entitled: "Blueprint for Change" dated 10/09/08.
Source: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/550007/barack-obama-2008-blueprint-for-change.pdf
Status:The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 included over $90B for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The breakout of this $90B of ARRA funding was roughly $29B for energy efficiency, $21B for renewable generation, $18B for traditional and high speed rail, $10B for grid modernization, $6B for advanced batteries, advanced vehicles and fuels technologies, $3B for carbon capture and sequestration technologies, $3B for green innovation and job training, and $2B for clean energy equipment manufacturing tax credits.

President Obama's FY2012 budget request included but was not limited to:
- $5.4B for the Office of Science, including $2.0B for basic energy sciences to discover new ways to produce, store, and use energy.
- $457M for a program to reduce the cost of solar power and other solar energy research and development (R&D);
- $550M for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to support the development of new energy technologies;
- $102M investment in geothermal energy;
- $341M for biofuels and biomass R&D;
- $95M for wind energy research;
- $853M for nuclear energy to include research into the development of modular nuclear reactors; and
- $453M for a fossil energy R&D portfolio focused on carbon capture and storage technologies.
The total of the above is roughly $8.3B.

When looking at the $90B of funding across all federal entities provided under the ARRA in CY2009, followed by an average of about $8B per year for the period FY2010-FY2017 under the Obama Administration, it is anticipated that the goal of investing $150B for clean energy technologies over 10 years (through FY2020), across all federal entities, will be attained.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
Energy-Efficient ApplicancesGrade
EN-32The Promise: "...will provide more resources to his Department of Energy so it implements regular updates for efficiency standards."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), the Department of Energy (DOE) is required to establish by certain dates energy efficiency standards for a broad class of residential and commercial products.

These products are appliances and other equipment used in consumers' homes and in commercial establishments. National appliance, equipment and lighting standards were first enacted by Congress in 1988. In the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), the Congress directed the DOE to develop a plan to issue expeditiously efficiency standards for those products with respect to which the DOE had not yet met the deadlines specified in the EPCA. New standards were added under the Energy Policy Acts of 1992 and 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

During CY2009, the DOE did a bit of catching up. It completed several appliance standards rules: codified the standards prescribed by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, established standards for fluorescent and incandescent lamps, beverage vending machine, ranges and ovens, and some commercial equipment contained in the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers Standard (ASHRAE) 90.1, commercial clothes washers, small electric motors, residential water heaters, direct heating equipment, and gas pool heaters.

Between funding increases provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and other annual plus-ups ($35M in FY2010 and FY2011, an amount President Obama requested be doubled in FY2012), the DOE has benefited from "more resources" to update efficiency standards as promised.

As of CY2016, the DOE's Appliance and Equipment Standards Program continues to experience backlogs. However, these are mostly attributed to snail-paced action by the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB), which must analyze and clear rules/regulations before they are published in the Federal Register.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
Natural ResourcesGrade
EN-33The Promise: "Obama will federal double [sic] science and research funding for clean energy projects including those that make use of our biomass, solar and wind resources."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: Make America a Global Energy Leader, dated 10/07/07.
Source: https://grist.org/article/obama-energy-fact-sheet/
Status:The Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) appropriation for FY2009 was $2.157B. This appropriation was supplemented by an additional $16B under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This more than "doubled" the FY2009 budget for clean energy initiatives managed by the EERE.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-34The Promise: "...will enter into public private partnerships to develop five 'first-of-a-kind' commercial scale coal-fired plants with clean carbon capture and sequestration technology."
When/Where: Obama and Biden's Plan for America: "Blueprint for Change," dated 10/09/08.
Source: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/550007/barack-obama-2008-blueprint-for-change.pdf
Status:The "FutureGen" project, a public-private partnership to develop coal gasification, carbon capture, and sequestration technologies was cancelled by the Bush Administration. The Obama Administration revived this initiative under what was referred to as the "Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI) Round Three." A FutureGen 2.0 project at Meredosia, Ill was killed by the Department of Energy (DOE) on 02/03/15 under DOE's belief that it was not economically feasible to retrofit existing coal plants with carbon capture technology.

Under President Obama, the DOE started support of the Petra Nova Project near Houston, Texas. By end-CY2016, the DOE had provided $190M under the original CCPI, which included funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, and an additional $23M in 02/16 under the FY2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which included the "Furthering Carbon Capture, Utilization, Technology, Underground Storage, and Reduced Emissions (FUTURE) Act" (S.1535) that extended tax credits for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) projects. This plant, one of two worldwide (the other is in Canada), became fully operational by the end of President Obama's second term in office in 01/17. Petra Nova can reportedly capture over 90% of the carbon dioxide released from the equivalent of a 240 megawatt coal unit, which translates into 5K tons of carbon dioxide per day or over 1M tons per year.

The Texas Clean Energy Project (TCEP) is an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) facility near Odessa, TX that proposed to incorporate CCUS technology in a first-of-its-kind commercial clean coal power plant. This project was expected to be operational in CY2018 as the first US-based power plant to combine both IGCC and capture 90% of its emissions. By end-CY2016, TCEP was filing for bankruptcy and their clean coal power plant project was ultimately cancelled.

The promise to "enter into public private partnerships to develop five..." was honored and exeeded by four for a total of nine. Nonetheless, including TCEP above, eight of the nine CCUS start-ups/initiatives either failed or were terminated during President Obama's two terms in office or shortly thereafter.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-35The Promise: "Prioritize the Construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline...will work with the Canadian government, state of Alaska, oil and gas producers, and other stakeholders to facilitate construction of the pipeline."
When/Where: Obama and Biden's Plan for America: "Blueprint for Change," dated 10/09/08.
Source: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/550007-barack-obama-2008-blueprint-for-change.html
Status:In CY1967, significant natural gas reserves (30T cubic feet) were discovered in Prudhoe Bay and Point Thompson, Alaska. When then-Candidate Obama campaigned for election to the presidency, building a 1,700 mile, 48-inch pipeline capable of carrying natural gas from Alaska's North Slope to Calgary, Alberta had been in planning stages since CY1973.

From Alberta, the original plan was for the pipeline to be extended an additional 1,500 miles to the Chicago area with producers in North Dakota and Montana authorized to tap into it to support local consumption requirements. An alternative routing under consideration at the time would have the natural gas flow to Valdez, Alaska from where it could be transported to markets in the western USA, Mexico, Hawaii and Asia.

In CY2010, President Obama appointed Larry Persily as his Federal Coordinator for Alaska Gas Line Projects, a key figure in bilateral talks with Canada. In late CY2011, the Alaska Gas Pipeline announced the cancellation of its Natural Gas Pipeline development efforts as originally planned (to Alberta and potentially to the lower 48 states) due to market changes and lack of popular support in Canada.

A few years later, Mr. Persily announced that his office had not been funded by Congress for FY2015. The efforts of the Federal Coordinator for Alaska Gas Line Projects ceased.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
EN-36The Promise: "Oil companies have access to 68 million acres of land, over 40 million offshore, which they are not drilling on. Drilling in open areas could significantly increase domestic oil and gas production. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will require oil companies to diligently develop these leases or turn them over so that another company can develop them."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:On 03/31/10, reversing a 20-year ban, President Obama announced the opening of specific areas along the Atlantic seaboard from the northern tip of Delaware down to central Florida, a new section of the Gulf of Mexico and the Cook Inlet in Alaska.

On 10/18/15, the Department of the Interior announced it was calling off two auctions for oil and gas drilling rights in the Arctic off Alaska and denied requests for lease extensions by Shell and Statoil. The two canceled auctions were for the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, potentially scheduled for CY2016 and the first half of CY 2017, respectively.

Requests for "lease suspensions" from Shell and Statoil that would have allowed them to keep their leases beyond their primary 10-year terms set to expire in CY2017 for the Beaufort Sea and in CY2020 for the Chukchi Sea were denied. According to Interior Secretary Jewell, "among other things, the companies did not demonstrate a reasonable schedule of work for exploration and development under the leases."

On 11/18/16, the Obama Administration banned offshore drilling/exploration in the Arctic (specifically Chukchi and Beaufort seas), with the exception of Cook Inlet, until CY2022. The ban also applies to plans for companies to drill for natural gas and oil off the Atlantic coast of four eastern seaboard states. Citing the Outer-Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953, President Obama solidified this ban on 12/20/16. Retained were 10 potential leases in the Gulf of Mexico plus Cook Inlet near Anchorage, Alaska.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-37The Promise: "...will establish a 25 percent federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to require that 25 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal by 2025."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "Promoting a Healthy Environment," dated 10/08/08.
Source: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_Cap_and_Trade_0512.pdf
Status:See Promise EN-25. The goal of RPS is to stimulate market and technology development so that renewable energy will be competitive with conventional forms of electric power.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) (H.R. 2454) was introduced by Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) on 05/15/09. It narrowly passed the House on 06/26/09. But in the absence of any Senate action, this bill died when the 111th Congress expired at the end of CY2010. ACES would have established a federal RPS, requiring that 6% of electric power come from renewable resources by CY2012, and 20% by CY2020. CY2025 was not mentioned as a goal year in this bill.

Only Nevada, Illinois, Delaware, New Hampshire and Oregon have established targets exactly consistent with President Obama's promise of 25% by CY2025. Several have exceeded the President's goal: Alaska (50% by CY2025), California (33% by CY2020), Colorado (30% by CY2020), Maryland (25% by CY2020), Michigan (35% by CY2025), Minnesota (26.5% by CY2025), Maine (40% by CY2017), Hawaii (30% by CY2020), Vermont (55% by CY2017) and U.S. Virgin Islands (30% by CY2025).

Legislation to support this promise such as S.433 (A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a renewable electricity standard, and for other purposes) failed to get through the 111th Congress. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) tried again by reintroducing the bill as S.741 during the 112th Congress. Under these proposed bills, 25% of electricity consumption would have to be from clean, renewable sources by CY2025. S.741 died when the 112th Congress expired at the end of CY2013.

As of end-CY2016, there is no law establishing the 25% RPS national objective by CY2025.

This promise was not fulfilled.		0.00
Nuclear WasteGrade
EN-38The Promise: "...will make safeguarding nuclear material both abroad and in the U.S. a top anti-terrorism priority. In terms of waste storage...do not believe that Yucca Mountain is a suitable site...will lead federal efforts to look for safe, long-term disposal solutions based on objective, scientific analysis...will develop requirements to ensure that the waste stored at current reactor sites is contained using the most advanced dry-cask storage technology available."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:As of end-CY2016, the national inventory of commercial spent nuclear fuel amounted to nearly 70K metric tons stored at 75 site-specific and general license sites in 34 states.

GLOBAL SAFEGUARDING: Under President Obama's leadership, the first international Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) to prevent nuclear terrorism worldwide was held in Washington, D.C., on 04/12-13/10. The second summit was held at Seoul, South Korea on 03/26-27/12; the third at The Hague, Netherlands, on 03/24-25/14; and the fourth in Washington, D.C. on 03/31-04/01/16.

YUCCA MOUNTAIN: President Obama's FY2010 budget submission included $197M to shutter the Yucca Mountain, NV nuclear waste storage program while the Administration devised "a new strategy toward nuclear waste disposal." The U.S. Government had already invested nearly $12B for the development of the Yucca Mountain waste disposal site. As of end-CY2016, the Yucca Mountain site had been abandoned since 04/11 and nothing existed but a boarded up, five-mile exploratory tunnel developed at a cost of $8B by the Department of Energy (DOE).

DRY-CASK STORAGE: Dry-cask storage is meant to be an interim storage solution. Dry casks are designed to hold nuclear waste for a few decades while permanent geological storage capabilities are developed. To that end and at an estimated cost of $19B, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, in operation since CY1999, is now the nation's first deep geological repository for nuclear waste.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
Windfall ProfitsGrade
EN-39The Promise: "I'll make oil companies like Exxon pay a tax on their windfall profits, and we'll use the money to help families pay for their skyrocketing energy costs and other bills."
When/Where: Obama Campaign Speech on the Economy, Raleigh, NC, 06/09/08.
Source: https://2008election.procon.org/sourcefiles/Obama20080609.pdf
Status:This promise was made in 06/08 when U.S. crude oil prices reached $151.72 per barrel. On 12/31/16, that price had fallen to $53.72 per barrel.

On 05/10/11, Senate Democrats announced a plan to eliminate tax breaks for the nation's five biggest oil companies. The "Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act" (S 258 and S. 940) introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) on 02/02/11 and 05/10/11 respectively failed to progress beyond preliminary committee review.

Another opportunity to accomplish the elimination of tax breaks for the oil industry also presented itself when a supercommittee was appointed in 08/11 to trim $1.2T from the national budget, an initiative that failed to materialize by the mandated 11/23/11 deadline.

Initiatives to close big oil tax loopholes were also included in the "Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2012" (H.R. 4108) introduced by Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) on 02/29/12. This and other related bills expired with the 112th Congress.

On 08/04/15, Senator Menendez reintroduced the "Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act" (S. 1907) during the 114th Congress. That bill would have repealed tax subsidies for the "Big 5" oil companies and raise $22B in savings towards deficit reduction over 10 years. This bill expired with the 114th Congress at the end of CY2016.

It should be noted the top 25 oil and gas companies on the Forbes Global 2000 reaped $2.6 trillion in sales during the 04/15-04/16 measurement period and pocketed $81 billion in profit during that 12-month period.

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