|
A primary goal of the National Energy Policy is to increase our energy supplies using a more diverse mix of domestic resources and to reduce our dependence on imported oil. The Office of the Biomass Program's activities directly support the overall mission and priorities of the Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and our National Energy Policy by contributing to the creation of a new bioindustry and reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil by supplementing the use of petroleum for fuels and chemicals. In 2002, fossil fuels which are finite and nonrenewable supplied 86% of the energy consumed in the United States. Even more alarming is that the United States imports over half (62%) of its petroleum and its dependency is increasing. Since the U.S economy is so closely tied with petroleum products and oil imports, small changes in oil prices or disruptions in oil supplies can have an enormous impact on our economy - from trade deficits, to industrial investment, to employment levels. As a domestic, renewable energy source, biomass offers an alternative to conventional energy sources and provides national energy security, economic growth, and environmental benefits.
|
){kind=small}
