25% Renewables by 2025

Leading officials and representatives from more than 70 organizations and businesses gathered to demonstrate support for an aggressive “25 X ’25” renewable energy vision, March 7-9, at the second national Agricultural and Forestry Renewable Energy Summit. The goal of the Washington D.C. summit, sponsored by the 25 X ’25 Work Group with funding from the Energy Future Coalition, was to secure national support for the mission of producing 25% of total U.S. energy consumption from America’s working lands by 2025.

More than 70 organizations endorsed the vision. Advocates led by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the National Association of Counties attended the summit. Other supporters represent renewable energy, agriculture, forest products, environmental, religious, labor, conservation and federal, state and local governments.

A bipartison lineup of political powerhouses addressed the 150 attendees. Key speakers included former Tom Daschle, former Senate Democratic leader; Mike Johanns, Agriculture Secretary, Dan Arviszu, NREL director, James Woolsey, former CIA director, Governor Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania; Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana; Tim Wirth, president of the UN Foundation; and US Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado.

In coming months, the 25 X ’25 Work Group will work to gain endorsements from a majority of Congress members. Meanwhile, state leaders will be forming state alliances of environmental, labor, religious, energy and other partners to facilitate a truly national effort. In this way, partners from every part of advocacy, industry and government are working to achieve the vision.

In early April, the Nebraska legislature unanimously passed a resolution endorsing 25x’25, becoming the second group of state lawmakers in the U.S. to endorse this bold renewable energy vision. The full list of endorsers is here.

www.25X25.org

FROM Solar Today, a SustainableBusiness.com Content Partner.