Energy

Dependence on importing foreign oil cost America over $321 billion last year. Petroleum and energy alone added $140 billion to our trade deficit. That lost income translates into thousands of lost jobs. By developing domestic energy sources rather than defending exploitation and extraction abroad, we could create jobs at home instead of sending our dollars overseas. During this Congress, Congresswoman Kaptur introduced the Rural Energy Investment Act of 2013. This bill would invest in renewable energy programs with proven track records, such as biofuels, creating thousands of jobs that cannot be outsourced.

With Secretary Vilsack at the Red Lion biorefinery.

In Avon Lake in June 2013, Congresswoman Kaptur joined Mayor Greg Zilka and NRG Energy East Regional President Lee Davis to announce that the Lake Road power plant would not close but would in fact stay open and begin a three-year project to add gas-firing capability.

The Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo) recently received a $4 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy and is now developing the first freshwater offshore wind project in the nation, seven miles northwest of Browns Stadium.

From offshore wind power to fuel-efficient vehicles to sensor technology to solar research and development, Northern Ohio is emerging as a hotbed for energy innovation.
 

Solar Array at Toledo Zoo Brings Innovative Renewable Energy to Region

As we strive for greater energy security, we must embrace all our options—especially the innovative renewable energy sources that will power our future, and the Toledo Zoo has led the way in this regard by completing their 2.1 megawatt solar array.  The project will supply 30 percent of the zoo’s electricity needs and it will serve as a wonderful educational tool for the zoo’s more than 800 thousand visitors.  To learn more about this project, please follow the link to the story in the Toledo Blade: http://www.toledoblade.com/Technology/2014/07/22/Solar-array-to-supply-power-to-Toledo-Zoo.html

LEGISLATION MARCY HAS SPONSORED AND CO-SPONSORED

H.R. 2290. The Rural Energy Investment Act of 2013. This bill would enhance domestic renewable energy production, making investments in key technologies and providing federal support for bio-based energy sources. The bill was endorsed by the Agriculture Energy Coalition, Biotechnology Industry Organization, and the National Farmers Union.