Renewable power cheaper and cleaner, scientists say

Making renewable energy 15 percent of our power will lower electricity costs and reduce greenhouse gas pollution, the Union of Concerned Scientists said today.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an energy bill requiring utilities to get 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar, geothermal or bioenergy by 2020. The Union of Concerned Scientists analysis said that such a bill could save consumers more than $13-billion and reduce global warming pollution by 126-million metric tons per year by 2020, the equivalent of taking 21-million cars off the road.

-Asjylyn Loder, Times staff writer