Obama known as "clean energy President," said in its leadership issued a series of history is the most clean energy stimulus plan. However "things go contrary to one's wishes," in the past four years, shine brilliantly not clean energy, but its appetite instead of the traditional fossil energy. America's energy security and economic development, and have obvious benefit from fossil energy development.

Therefore, Obama's energy policy also questioned by many. In the current critical moment of the election, can see Obama will not ignore fossil energy results, but in the United States drive economic growth under the consideration, the energy policy make some adjustment.

Ambitious clean energy plan

As early as in 2008 run for President, Obama will claim should focus on investment in clean energy technology, and tried to lead a "green industrial revolution" and realize "safe, green, economy" energy. Obama promised the next 10 years, the development of new energy to invest $150 billion strategic investment, help create 5 million jobs; To ensure that in 2025 the United States the structure of electric power of 25% from renewable energy, 2020 carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels.

He was elected President, in the face of financial crisis pressure, Obama out a series of ambitious new energy plan, and to stimulate the U.S. economic recovery as the important measures. In 2009 the American recovery and reinvestment act, Obama government in energy and water development budget spending $50.7 billion for "energy efficiency and renewable energy", etc. This is regarded as the history of the United States the largest green energy industry promoting plan. The bill would also revised the 2007 "energy independence and security act (also known as the" new energy method "), its main objectives and barack Obama in the presidential race is approximately the same as that of the proposed policy points.

In the same year 6 month, Obama government proposed "American clean energy safety", its core is a "total amount control and trade" measures, combined with the government and the market forces to reduce carbon emissions, and more outstanding renewable energy strategic position. In addition, Obama has also appointed a batch of agree with coping with climate change scientists as energy and environment department leadership positions, for example, the Nobel physics prize winner zhu as energy secretary, harvard physicist John hall delun served as his White House science and technology consultant.

In 2009, Obama government has formulated the renewable energy cash back subsidy policy (1603 clause), this clause the Treasury in renewable energy after the completion of the project of 60 days, must be in cash form return the project cost by 30%. By this incentive, in 2009 the United States new wind power installed capacity of surge. Obama government later this policy will be postponed.

Fossil energy back stronger

Although Obama tried to spend heavily to promote clean energy development, but in fact, shale gas as a representative of fossil energy in recent years but shine brilliantly. At present, shale gas have accounted for the natural gas producing a quarter of the left and right sides, the United States more than Russia to become one of the biggest in the world natural gas producers, and is planning to export liquefied natural gas (LNG). American petroleum external dependence has fallen below 50%, an energy degree of self sufficiency to rise gradually.

In 2010 had disastrous gulf of Mexico oil spill incident, Obama once prohibited offshore oil development, but in the petroleum company's lobby and the mid-term elections under pressure, less than half a year time Obama government will lift the ban in advance. According to the United States energy information administration (EIA) latest forecast, in 2020 the United States crude oil output will reach 6.7 million barrels per day, to the highest level since 1994, including crude oil output will reach 1.83 million barrels per day, dense oil output will reach 1.2 million barrels per day. By 2020, 13% of oil production will come from the sea, 67% will come from dense oil. EIA also is expected to high oil prices in the scene in 2035, the United States oil and other liquid fuels the net imports of the proportion of the total consumption will drop to 22%.

In this context, Obama government in 2011 published the "energy security future blueprint" put forward to ensure the future energy security strategy of three, the first is to expand domestic oil and gas resources development, increase the traditional energy supply, ensure that the U.S. energy supply security, and reiterated that the United States mainly depends on two aspects to reduce dependence on oil, one is in the home land search and produce more oil, 2 it is to use more clean alternative fuels and improve energy efficiency. By this token, barack Obama has realized that the traditional fossil energy to guarantee the United States the importance of energy security, and regard it as the primary way to energy security.

It should be said that the government in Obama, pushed by the United States in clean energy fields have achieved some progress. In 2009, the financial crisis influence, in the United States energy consumption under the condition of decline, the renewable energy consumption also rose 5%. In 2011, including water and electricity, the renewable energy in the United States an energy consumption structure the proportion is 8.8%. In Obama's clean energy under the influence of the policy of the United States also has formulated the corresponding renewable energy incentive policies and development goals.

In the United States currently about 40% of the corn for ethanol production. The U.S. air force even announced in the vast majority of the use of mixed fuel, and expected to reach 2016 in the United States air force fuel demand half will come from renewable energy sources. But in 2008 the global sharp price increases and the United States this year encountered an unprecedented great drought, biological fuel and food for the contradiction is becoming more and more serious. Obama is also affected by opponents want to cancel the biological fuel ethanol instruction of pressure.

The development of clean energy complied with the historical trend, but the United States to clean energy attention is not began in Obama period. For the United States to improve energy efficiency and clean energy development has an important meaning, also known as the "new energy method" the energy independence and security law is in the stage of Obama before passed in 2007. The bill revision of the average fuel economy standards (CAFE) and make renewable fuel standard (RFS), the American auto industry for energy efficiency improvement and the promotion of biofuels has played a very important role. The bill would also cancelled on oil and gas enterprise tax breaks and subsidies, instead