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Poll: Americans Favor Energy Conservation

Many adults in the United States want Congress to focus on energy preservation, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 91% of respondents support reforms to emphasize more conservation by consumers, and to encourage more innovation to develop alternative sources of energy. In 2004, the environmental policies initiated by United States president George W. Bush included tax incentives totalling $4.1 billion U.S. to boost the use of energy-efficient technologies, including hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles. Bush has also proposed opening less than one per cent of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas exploration. According to the White House, the area allows for access to one of the largest natural gas reserves in the U.S., and could potentially provide more than one million barrels of oil each day. 53% of respondents favour allowing companies to drill for oil in certain areas ? such as the National Wildlife Refuge ? to decrease American reliance on foreign oil. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ? located in northeastern Alaska?covers almost 80,000 square kilometres. The area was protected in 1960 during the administration of Dwight Eisenhower, and is home to more than 230 animal species. Polling Data Do you support or oppose the […]

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J.D Power Projects Hybrids to Top Out at 3 Percent of U.S. Market

Despite the growing popularity of hybrid vehicles and a slew of new models scheduled in the next few years, the fuel-saving vehicles will probably peak at roughly 3 percent of the total U.S. market by 2010, a new study from the forecasting arm of J.D. Power and Associates said Thursday. Roughly 88,000 hybrids were sold in the United States in 2004, accounting for about one-half of 1 percent of total vehicle sales. This year, the number of hybrid models – which typically draw power from a gas or diesel engine combined with an electric motor – is expected to increase to 11 from eight, and J.D. Power-LMC Automotive Forecasting Services says sales will grow to 200,000, or about 1.2 percent of the market. J.D. Power-LMC expects the number of models to expand to 38 by 2011 – 17 cars and 21 trucks and sport utility vehicles – but that sales will plateau that year at about 535,000, or roughly 3 percent of the U.S. market. “This is related primarily to the price premium of $3,000 to $4,000 consumers must pay for a hybrid vehicle, compared with a comparable non-hybrid,” said Anthony Pratt, senior manager of global powertrain forecasting at J.D. […]

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