25x’25 Action Plan

As the 21st century unfolds, America has an opportunity to chart a new course for its energy future – one that uses our abundant natural renewable energy resources to steer us to new economic opportunities and jobs, more robust national security, and a cleaner, healthier environment. Our nation’s farmers, ranchers and forest land owners have set a bold vision to provide solutions from the land to meet our energy needs. The right policy framework is needed, however, to realize the vision.

The 25x’25 Action Plan: Charting America’s Energy Future provides that policy framework and serves as a map for the public and policy makers to use in setting a new course for America. The Action Plan outlines specific steps needed to put our nation on the path to achieve the 25x’25 goal: By the year 2025, America’s farms, ranches and forests will provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States, while continuing to produce safe, abundant and affordable food, feed and fiber. While energy demand in the U.S. is projected to increase 24% by 2025, this Action Plan, combined with strong efficiency measures, provides a roadmap for safely, securely, and profitably meeting this demand. Specifically, the Action Plan calls for supportive policies in each of five areas:

• Increasing production of renewable energy
• Delivering renewable energy to markets
• Expanding renewable energy markets
• Improving energy efficiency and productivity
• Strengthening conservation of natural resources and the environment
  

25x’25 Action Plan: Charting America’s Energy Future (full report)
(Large File Size)

Executive Summary and Summary of Policy Recommendations

Action Plan Press Release

Action Plan Talking Points

For those with slower Internet connections please view the full 25x’25 Action Plan in sections for quicker download times:

Action Plan Cover

AP Table of Contents

Section 1: Executive Summary

Section 2: Summary of Policy Recommendations

Section 3: Introduction

Section 4: Background

Section 5: Advancing the Vision

Section 6: Getting to 25x’25

Section 7: A Call to Action

Section 8: Appendices

A Strong Coalition of Support:

In consultation with the more than 400 groups that have endorsed the 25x’25 vision and have collaborated in this process, the 25x’25 Steering Committee has assembled this plan for accelerating the transition to America’s renewable energy future. These 400 groups make up the 25x’25 Alliance, a grassroots coalition of agricultural, forestry, business, labor, environmental and civic organizations working to advance renewable energy solutions from our nation’s farms, forests, ranches and other working lands, and give the plan a very broad base of support. The plan is based on the principles of partnership, commitment, sustainability, efficiency, and opportunity. To achieve the 25x’25 vision, the Alliance urges all Americans to join our efforts to: 

1. 1. Work with policy makers and the public to establish and sustain commitment to 25x’25 as a national goal, and to establish policies and fund necessary enabling programs to achieve this goal.

 

1. Build public awareness through an education campaign and develop new partnerships and alliances to carry the vision forward.

Many 25x’25 Partners and Congressional Leaders have circulated statements of support for the plan since its release, including:

25x’25 Partner Letter to Senate Budget Committee and Leadership from Environmental Defense, The Union of Concerned Scientists, Center for American Progress, Energy Future Coalition, General Motors and The National Wildlife Federation.

25x’25 Partner Letter To House Budget Committee and Leadership from Environmental Defense, The Union of Concerned Scientists, Center for American Progress, Energy Future Coalition, General Motors and The National Wildlife Federation.

National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Farmland Trust
Senator Grassley
Senator Lugar
Senator Tester

A Winning Strategy for America

Producing 25 percent of America’s energy from renewable sources will yield significant economic, national security, and environmental benefits. Achieving the 25x’25 goal will:

• Increase farm income by $180 billion and generate $700 billion in new economic activity.
• Create four to five million new jobs.
• Reduce oil consumption by 2.5 million barrels per day – 10 percent of U.S. projected consumption in 2025.
• Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1 billion tons – two thirds of projected emissions growth by 2025

On September 26-28, 2006, the endorsing partners reconvened for the second Action Plan Development Meeting in Denver, CO. On Wednesday, September 27, the work groups spent a full day discussing and further developing implementation recommendations for the consideration of the 25x’25 alliance partners. Thursday morning, the work groups came together in a plenary session to report progress and seek input from other participants. By the end of this meeting, the group had achieved significant consensus on the primary components of the 25x’25 and the next steps in the Implementation Planning process.

On January 24th, 2007, the partners assembled again to review and finalize the details of the Steering Committee’s draft Action Plan. The partners spent the day reviewing each draft chapter and the proposed funding requests that will allow 25x’25 to become a reality. At the end of this meeting the 25x’25 Steering Committee had a well developed outline of the recommendations with which they would build the final Action Plan.

On February 28, 2007 the Steering Committee released the 25x’25 Action Plan: Charting America’s Energy Future at an event on Capitol Hill that included many of the 25x’25 Congressional champions and leaders of 25x’25 partner organizations. The final Action Plan provides recommendations that aim to achieve the vision of producing 25 percent of the nation’s energy from renewable sources by 2025. Significantly, the Action Plan represents the consensus views on how to achieve a 25x’25 renewable energy future.

25x’25 Action Plan Development Timeline

June/July 2006
Partners brainstorm and submit 25x’25 Action Plan ideas

July 2006
Action Plan Development team compiles recommendations and mails summary to partners

July 26-27, 2006
First 25x’25 partner meeting (Sheraton Four Points, Washington, DC)

• discuss preliminary recommendations
  
• forge consensus on agreed to items
  
• begin dialogue on items where consensus is lacking
  
• form work groups

July/August, 2006
Work groups develop draft components of Action Plan

Sept. 26-28, 2006
Second 25x’25 partner meeting (Sheraton Denver West, Denver, CO)

• present and discuss workgroup recommendations
  
• forge consensus on recommendations
• seek consensus on structure, elements and composition of report

Early December 2006
Draft Action Plan circulated for review/comment

January 24, 2007
Third 25x’25 partner meeting (Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC)

• reviewed December 2006 draft
  
• established funding requests
  
• achieved consensus on framework of recommendations