Factbox: Influential Senate energy legislation

(Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is struggling to bring some kind of an energy bill to the floor before the August recess.

Reid is meeting with his Democratic caucus on Thursday to talk about what may be included in the bill. A bill is seen as key priority for the Obama Administration but a number of lawmakers say time is running out in the legislative calendar and votes are not there for a broad package.

The following are highlights of legislation introduced in the Senate that may contribute language to the final package.

American Power Act

Sponsor: John Kerry, Democratic Senator from Massachusetts; Joe Lieberman, Independent Senator from Connecticut

Status: Draft bill

* Sets a cap-and-trade system for utility carbon pollution permits

* Places a tax on carbon emissions by large pollutants

* Aims to reduce carbon emissions 17 percent by 2020, more than 80 percent by 2050

National Energy Efficiency Enhancement Act of 2010 (S. 3059)

Sponsor: Jeff Bingaman, Senate Democrat from New Mexico; Lisa Murkowski, Senate Republican from Alaska; eight more senators

Status: Energy and Natural Resources Committee held hearings

* Boosts Energy Department program to increase energy efficiency of appliances

* Battles carbon emissions through better efficiency

* Builds on Bingaman's earlier bill: S. 1462

American Clean Energy and Leadership Act (S. 1462)

Sponsor: Jeff Bingaman, Senate Democrat from New Mexico

Status: Approved by committee and placed on Senate calendar

* Places carbon emissions cap on utilities

* Creates credit trading programs for utilities

* Formulates energy efficiency standards for appliances, buildings and lighting

Oil Independence for Stronger America Act (S. 3601)

Sponsor: Jeff Merkley, Democratic Senator from Oregon; Tom Carper, Democratic Senator from Delaware; Michael Bennet, Democratic Senator from Colorado; Tom Udall, Democratic Senator from New Mexico

Status: Referred to Finance Committee

* Sets plan to reduce oil use by 8 million barrels a day and eliminate overseas oil imports by 2030

* Beefs up electric vehicle production

* Forms National Council on Energy Security

Sponsor: Byron Dorgan, Democratic Senator from North Dakota; Lamar Alexander, Republican Senator from Tennessee; Jeff Merkley, Democratic Senator from Oregon

Status: Approved by Energy and Natural Resources Committee

* Aims to put 400,000 plug-in electric cars on road in three years

* Creates incentives for purchase of electric cars

* Provides $1.5 billion toward electric battery R&D

Practical Energy and Climate Plan Act of 2010 (S. 3495)

Sponsor: Richard Lugar, Republican Senator from Indiana; Lindsey Graham, Republican Senator from South Carolina; Lisa Murkowski, Republican Senator from Alaska

Status: Energy and Natural Resources Committee held hearings

* Sets ground for continuous gradual increase of fuel efficiency standards for passenger cars

* Creates national building energy efficiency standards, enforces standards for appliances

* Provides greater loans for new nuclear plants

Carbon Limits and Energy for America's Renewal (CLEAR) Act

(S.2877)

Sponsor: Maria Cantwell, Democratic Senator from Washington; Susan Collins, Democratic Senator from Maine

Status: In Finance Committee

* Aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020, 83 percent by 2050

* Caps emissions from large fossil-fuel producers

* Streams funds from sale of emissions permits toward clean energy R&D, private citizen refunds

(Compiled by Alina Selyukh; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)