Managing Automation - August 2008 - (Page 36)

ENERGY corporate CEOs, university presidents, and labor leaders, has an initiative on Energy Security, Innovation & Sustainability (ESIS). “The private sector recognizes the opportunities and challenges presented by current energy use, and we’re moving to secure the benefits of a new energy future today,” ESIS initiative Co-chair James Owens, chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc., has said. ESIS has stated that the United States, to remain competitive, must secure access to adequate energy supplies, increase energy productivity, maximize the economic value of each unit of energy consumed, and minimize the environmental impact of energy choices. ESIS recommends three key questions industry must ask the presidential candidates: 1) What will be the first steps to advance a comprehensive energy security and sustainability strategy for the United States? 2) What policies would you put in place to create the conditions necessary to stimulate U.S. energy innovation, including enhancing productivity to get the maximum economic value out of each unit of energy consumed? 3) What steps would you take to ensure that the United States has the energy workforce necessary for the 21st century? “We cannot just drill our way out of this problem; we must innovate our way out,” said ESIS co-chair Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in a statement. Some manufacturing executives see federal policies as a good place to start. For example, GE CEO Jeff Immelt reportedly supports federal regulations for greenhouse gases. Indeed, in the Managing Automation/Thomas Publishing poll, 27.7% of the respondents want government to expand the scope of regulations to address global warming. But there is a delicate balance to be maintained, as more stringent regulations can interfere with a manufacturer’s ability to conduct business, as most poll respondents fear. “Honestly, I’ve never spoken to a manufacturing executive clamoring for more government intervention,” Deloitte’s Giffi says. “We have to be careful what we ask for.” The good news is that manufacturers are stepping up to influence the next administration’s decisions on future energy regulations. “It is important from a sustainability standpoint that [energy initiatives] become top priority for CEOs, the board, and the senior executive team,” Giffi says. “Broad-based energy policy [is needed], but until it reaches the boardroom and C suite as a priority, it will be hard to get anything to change.” Ultimately, government — at all levels — must collaborate with manufacturers to ink a sensible energy-driven sustainability initiative. The collective message to the next president: Listen to what the industry is telling you, and start thinking about protecting the heart and soul of this country: manufacturing. “In my opinion, it’s easy,” S&S Hinge’s Sade says. “Our Congress should stop worrying about baseball players and steroids, and start looking directly at the effect of [the energy crisis] and what it is doing to our economy.” ■ divided parties BOTH JOHN MCCAIN AND BARACK OBAMA HAVE MADE PUBLIC THEIR POSITIONS ON ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY. HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS. JOHN MCCAIN’S Lexington Project, first advertised in June, outlines a plan to break American dependence on foreign oil. ● Expand domestic oil and natural gas exploration, particularly in the outer continental shelf, which is currently under federal restrictions. ● Promote investments in clean, alternative sources of energy, which would result in constructing 45 new nuclear power plants by the year 2030 and investing $2 billion annually to advance clean coal technologies. ● Establish a permanent tax credit equal to 10% of wages spent on R&D. ● Encourage the market to develop low carbon fuels, such as wind, hydro, and solar power. ● Establish a cap-and-trade system that would set limits on greenhouse gas emissions, provide an allotted permit to emit, and let organizations buy and sell rights to emit. If they find a way to reduce emissions, they can sell their extra permits for cash. ● Reform the transportation sector, including the Clean Car Challenge, which would provide a $5,000 tax credit to customers who buy zero carbon emission cars, thereby encouraging automakers to be the first to market with a product; also, a $300 million prize awarded for the development of a battery package that leapfrogs currently available hybrids or electric cars; and research alcohol-based fuels as an alternative to gasoline. Source: www.johnmccain.com BARACK OBAMA’S New Energy for America program focuses on investing in renewable energy sources to reduce U.S. dependence on oil and enable energy independence. ● Supports an investment of $150 billion over 10 years to jump-start renewable energy technology development and deployment while reducing U.S. oil consumption by about 3 million barrels per day by 2018 (currently, America has a 20 million-barrel-a-day habit, according to the Obama Web site). ● An economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ● Dramatic improvements in energy efficiency to reduce the energy intensity of our economy by 50% by the year 2030. ● A reduction in our dependence on foreign oil and reducing our oil consumption by at least 35%, or 10 million barrels, by 2030. ● Investment in climate-friendly energy supplies. ● Making the United States a leader in the global effort to combat climate change by leading a new international global warming partnership. Source: www.barackobama.com ma 36 2008 August http://www.barackobama.com http://www.johnmccain.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managing Automation - August 2008

Managing Automation - August 2008 Contents Take 1 After 18 Months, the Oracle/SAP Suit Has Little Effect on Maintenance Sales At 100, Foxboro Reinvents Around Its Customers New Private Equity Firm Eyes Software A Software Suite Just for Manufacturers i2 Chief Focuses on Services Plan Notes It's Time for Action Examining U.S. Competitveness Leveling the Field An Unhealthy Situation Exploring Alternatives Math and Science: Key to the Future Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - August 2008

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