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11/14/2008 07:32 AM
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Renewable Energy Sectors Release Joint Statement of Needs
SustainableBusiness.com News
The leaders of the renewable energy industry have joined together to explain in detail what support they would like to receive from the new administration and Congress.
The leaders of the American Wind Energy Association, Geothermal Energy Association,
National Hydropower Association and Solar Energy Industries Association yesterday
released a statement saying that the fast-growing renewable energy sector is poised to help lead the U.S. economic
recovery; however,
the federal government must take specific actions to ensure that the growth continues, given the current economic realities.
The industry leaders said president-elect Obama's commitment to key policies will spur substantial
growth in America’s clean renewable energy industries and create millions of new jobs.
They called for immediate action to adjust renewable energy tax credit policies so incentives work as intended
given current economic conditions.
In addition, they called on the 111th Congress to:
- Adopt a national renewable electricity (portfolio) standard to ensure that at least
10% of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from renewable energy
sources by 2012, and at least 25% by 2025
- Approve a minimum five-year extension of the federal renewable energy
production tax credit (PTC) and additional funding for the Clean Renewable
Energy Bonds (CREBs) program
- Issue an Executive Order expanding federal procurement of renewable energy
generation to meet the government’s substantial energy supply needs
- Launch a major initiative to support investment in the nation’s interstate
electrical grid infrastructure and smart-grid technology to deliver green energy
from areas with renewable resources to population centers and to support
distributed power generation
- Invest $30 billion in 2009 for financing options that support new project
development and installations for all renewable energy technologies as part of
the Administration’s commitment to investment of $150 billion over the next ten
years in clean energy technologies
- Adopt a cap-and-trade regime to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that
rewards production of clean renewable energy.
"If the Administration and Congress can quickly implement these policies, renewable
energy growth will help turn around the economic decline while at the same time
addressing some of our most pressing national security and environmental problems," the statement said.
