I was reading an article from the Wall Street Journal this morning about substantial growth that the wind and solar industry had last year. This really got me excited and gave me hope that we are making progress nationally in our fight to stop global warming and bring on the clean energy revolution.
The article stated:
The U.S. wind-power industry grew in size by 45% last year, adding a record 5,244 megawatts of capacity that amounted to a third of all new generating capacity built in the U.S. in 2007, according to the American Wind Energy Association. General Electric Co. led the pack as nation's largest supplier.[Gale Force]The solar industry grew at a similar clip, though from a much smaller base, adding more than 300 megawatts of capacity last year, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Additions are expected to roughly double this year. Large commercial solar installations now exceed home installations in California, reversing a long-term pattern and likely a bellwether for other states.
That is a lot of energy! How cool is that? And the article said that was only the beginning, we can expect this figure to continue because of federal and state incentives for clean energy (created in most states by passing renewable energy portfolio standards, something we can't seem to get the political will to pass here in Virginia...)
As I read on, I couldn't help but notice how the focus of the article started to shift towards jobs. It said that tens of thousands of jobs in solar and wind are expected to be created over the next decade. And that one solar factory in Albuquerque, N.M., will employ 350 people by 2009 and increase to about 1,500 workers in future years, all for a [measly] $500 million investment.
What a wonderful economic model to emulate! If we can attract green business to Virginia, we can profit off of this amazing growth in the wind and solar industries, provide jobs for our citizens, and feel totally good about ourselves. That sounds an awful lot like something called the Clean Energy Future Act that we are trying to pass though the Virginia General Assembly this year...
What sort of plans does the state have on the books to help meet our energy needs and provide jobs for Virginians? A dirty coal fired power plant. For $1.8 billion donation to Dominion Power we get a 585 megawatt coal fired power plant, 5.4 million tons of CO2, thousands of tons of air pollutants, more asthma and cancer, more mountain top removal mining, and 75 lousy jobs! WTF?
Investing in solar: 1,500 jobs for $500 million
Investing in coal: 75 jobs for $1.8 billion
Feeling like an idiot because my money may have to pay for that new coal: priceless.
We must stop Dominion Now! Click here to take action. Visit wiseenergyva.org for more information.
cross posted from: http://www.chesapeakeclimate.o...