The problem is that there was no way that Congress (even, or, in this case, especially a Democratic one) would willingly, uniformly pass new energy legislation without the President pushing it through with all his might. Ford, the figure of compromise in the House, is not likely to do so.
There were tons of competing interests in the Democratic Party for how oil should be handled, between the environmentalists, and the Representatives and Senators from states where oil was one of the main job suppliers. Russell Long, as an oil Democrat, New Deal Democrat, and Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, ran circles around Carter in delaying tactics in committees and sub-committees to stop his energy policy of deregulation and consolidation of energy-related decision-making for months, if not years. Carter eventually brought most of his legislation through Congress, but a not insignificant portion were kicking and screaming the whole time. Although ultimately a good thing for America, the lack of short term gains and the overall headache from oil Democrats as well as pushback in his own party would likely have stopped Ford from pursuing anything nearly as meaningful as what Carter did.