3p Contributor: Jeff Siegel
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Green Building supports 7.9 Million U.S. Jobs
I’m not typically one to debate the merits of green jobs because I see the value of green job creation every single day.
Sure, there are a number of studies out there that question the validity of some green jobs or seek to find a more precise definition of what a green job is. And this is all relevant stuff.
But there are also studies that I have to call out as being nothing more than politically-charged rhetoric.
Like the “7 Myths About Green Jobs” study that came out earlier this year.
I won’t get into the nuts and bolts, but despite what seemed like an honest approach to a valid question: How do special interest groups calculate how many green jobs new energy policies would create? I quickly found myself reading what hinted at some questionable intentions hiding behind the guise of academic research.
Climate Change: The Cost of Inaction Continues to Rise
For those who oppose any kind of meaningful action on global climate change, consider the latest findings on the cost of inaction.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world will have to spend an extra $500 billion to cut carbon emissions for each year it delays implementing serious action on global warming. This would be on top of the $10.5 trillion investment needed from 2010 to 2030 to boost renewable energy development and improve energy efficiency.
Of that $10.5 trillion, the IEA states that about 45 percent, or $4.7 trillion in investment will be in transportation. Just one more reason we continue to remain so bullish on the electrification of our transportation infrastructure, mass transit and high speed rail.
Climate Change Complacency on Capitol Hill
Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.
Climate Change legislation on the Hill has proven to be exactly what we should have expected all along – a partisan bickering match comparable to playground scuffles I recall from my elementary school days.
On cue, the Republicans moved to boycott this week’s work session on a climate change bill, stating that they want more time to study the EPA’s economic analysis. Interestingly enough, these folks had nothing to say when the Bush Administration used the EPA as a pawn in the game of delaying serious climate change debate. But you know how it is – it’s all politics.
Certainly we saw much of this kind of behavior from the Democrats during the Bush years. It’s really not much different.
China Ponies up $1.5 Billion for Texas Wind Farm
Wind Farm
Last year, I sat on a panel at an energy conference where someone asked me my thoughts on China’s impact on the renewable energy sector.
My response was simple, upset a lot of people, and has since proven to be pretty accurate. . .
“They’re going to bury us!”
I know some don’t agree with this statement. And I don’t say this to disregard all the progress we’ve made here in the United States. Certainly, we’ve come a long way over the past few years. And there are some excellent renewable energy companies operating domestically.
But the fact is China’s desperate need for more domestically-produced power that doesn’t further degrade their dwindling water supplies or pollute their air — which will give your eyes and lungs a good burn on a stagnant day — is a major catalyst for renewable energy growth in the Middle Kingdom.
Are Solar Tariffs a Good Idea?
Last Wednesday, the New York Times reported that companies importing solar panels to the U.S. are facing up to $70 million in unexpected tariffs.
Because solar panels have become too sophisticated to qualify for duty-free status, the U.S. Customs Agency has stated that they will be treated as electric generators – which are subject to a 2.5% duty.
Now word is, hardly anyone in the industry was even aware of the tariff until last week. I do find this hard to believe. And if they weren’t aware of it, they should’ve been. Such an oversight seems a bit questionable to me. Nonetheless, unpaid duties and penalties have been piling up. But it’s not just foreign solar manufacturers that are unhappy with the tariff.
Wind Energy: Mapping Out a Global Trend
A few weeks ago, construction began on the first of seven 10-gigawatt wind power bases in China.
I initially wrote about these wind power bases last month, when the vice president of the Chinese Wind Association announced the project— which is to be completed by 2020. Certainly this is a major part of China’s wind power goal of 100 gigawatts by 2020.
But as I’ve said time and time again, this is a global trend. And while new government support in China and the United States is providing fertile ground for growth and opportunity, wind energy momentum is not constrained by borders.
Renewable Energy Can’t Be an Afterthought in the Quest to Meet Climate Goals
A new report from the Electric Power Research Institute noted that in order to meet climate goals, the U.S. power industry must implement a full portfolio of technologies.
While we agree that we’ll have to pull out all the stops in the race to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we must not trade one problem for another.
In the EPRI report, an awful lot of attention was focused on cleaner coal technology and more nuclear development. Certainly this is one way to decrease CO2 emissions – but it’s also a way to further liquidate our natural capital. Things like healthy soil, clean water, minerals, clean air, and living systems.
Hyundai Ponies Up $3.2 Billion to Go Green
There was a time when embracing sustainability or “green” initiatives meant sacrificing the bottom line in an effort to “do the right thing.” Clearly this is no longer the case. In fact, as we’ve seen with solar and wind companies, organic retailers and eco-friendlier vehicle manufacturers, embracing eco-sensibilities has proven to be a recipe for success. This has certainly been the case for major automakers.
Although no major automaker has walked away from this economic downturn unscathed, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see which car manufacturers have struggled the most.
The Wind Energy Industry will survive without T. Boone Pickens
I was pretty bummed out this morning after hearing that T. Boone Pickens would be cancelling his 4 GW wind farm project. Not so much because that beautiful 4 GW wind farm won’t be built in Sweetwater, TX – but because this little piece of news is likely to serve as an excellent opportunity for renewable energy naysayers to leave a fresh trail of misinformation about the wind energy industry.
It’s already plastered all over message boards and blogs.
Here are a few comments that I found on one particularly hostile message board. . .
The Cap-and-Trade Scapegoat and the Illusion of Cheap Energy
It may not have made as many waves as the Michael Jackson story, but last week, after the House passed the cap-and-trade bill, the media response was overwhelming. Not that anyone should be surprised. This is a huge issue.
However, it seemed that much of the earliest coverage stirred up an awful lot of hostility and opposition. And it was everywhere. From the most conservative blogs to the most liberal social media sites – those who oppose any kind of effective climate change legislation were not pacing back and forth in the waiting room. They were hitting up every possible media outlet to express their opinions and outrage.
Magic Beans for 100 Nuclear Power Plants
At some point you just have to ask yourself, what is it that these politicians are getting to push nuclear energy so hard?
Last week, House Republicans called for a hundred new nuclear power plants to be built in the next two decades. They say that this is part of the legislation they’re backing because it’s better than what the Democrats are offering.
Geothermal Energy’s Future Is Bright
It may not be as shiny as solar or as obvious as wind, but no matter how you slice it – geothermal energy is a powerhouse when it comes to renewable energy generation.
As I highlighted in my book, Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks…geothermal actually holds significant advantages over other forms of renewable and fossil fuel-based energy.
GEM Offers Electric Vehicle Value for Fleet Operators
When Obama first came out in support of electric cars, the opposition quickly attacked these vehicles as nothing more than “glorified golf carts.” They loved it. They used it as an opportunity to scare the public into believing that the only electric cars available were Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs). These electric vehicles, also known as “Low Speed Vehicles” are basically 4-wheeled vehicles with a top speed of more than 20 mph, but not more than 25 mph.
Now we know the truth. We know that at this very moment, there are electric vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles in development and on the road that are not glorified golf carts, but rather highly efficient vehicles that really represent the future of personal transportation.
Senators Deceive Voters with EPA Challenge
Well, it looks like the deniers are back at it.
On Tuesday, Senate Republicans released a nine-page memo which included the opinions of a number of federal agencies regarding the regulation of greenhouse gases.
The document stated that factories, small businesses and institutions would be subject to unreasonable costs if the EPA proceeds with the regulation of greenhouse gases. This, my friends, is what the deniers do when their data is bogus, and their agendas are based more on political maneuvering than doing what’s right for the nation. They re-word, and repackage the same old argument in an effort to continue the debate.
No rational person has ever denied that the regulation of greenhouse gases would require some sort of price tag. But what most of these folks are refusing to acknowledge is that there have always been costs associated with the production of greenhouse gases. It’s just that these costs have consistently been externalized onto you, me and every living thing around us.
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