President Obama today signed a memo directing federal agencies to consume 20 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020 – more than double the current level.
The White House says meeting the renewable energy goal will reduce pollution, "promote American energy independence, and support homegrown energy produced by American workers."
The White House says Obama in 2009 directed the federal government to become a leader in clean energy and energy efficiency by signing an executive order that sets aggressive targets for federal agencies for reducing energy use, carbon pollution and waste in their operations.
New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall welcomed the call for federal agencies to nearly triple their renewable energy consumption, saying the U.S. "should lead the world in clean energy jobs, innovation and in efforts to fight global warming."
Udall has led an effort to set a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), requiring utilities to generate 25 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2025.
"By challenging federal agencies -- together the nation's largest consumer of energy -- to lead by example, the president is taking a strong step in the right direction," Udall said.
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