Groups see dim renewable energy future (unless tax credit extended)

given by state and local governments as well as to individual actions. This is where alternative energy is currently getting the biggest boost. While it will not be enough to finish the job each project is going to make others look to their own area change. I cannot tell you how the wind machines that follow the highway approaching Cherokee Iowa effected my family when we first saw them. We were overcome with joy that someone was actually doing it. Their influence in the surrounding areas has been profound.

It's deja vu all over again - Reagan and the Gramm/Newt Congress eliminated Jimmy Carter's homeowner solar energy tax credits in the mid-80's.

...and Crony Capitalist GOP Obstructionists were successful in removing homeowner solar and commercial wind power tax credits from last year's Energy and Farm Bills

January 2009 can't come fast enough...

:puke:

They are never going to significantly change the energy landscape. It's the same with requirements for utilities to generate 15% of their energy with renewables. If the growth in electricity demand rises 15%, and all of that increased demand is met by renewable energy, then we still haven't reduced our carbon footprint; in fact we've increased our footprint if utilities are also switching from natural gas to coal.

Reducing carbon dioxide in the utility sector can only be achieved by reducing our use of coal, and the only way to accomplish that is to mandate the reduction. One way to accomplish this would be to ban the construction of new coal power plants, and to shut down older coal fired power plants within a fixed time frame.

Unfortunately we won't willingly do that -- it will only be accomplished by the destruction of our economy by climate changes and decreasing oil supplies. In a crashed economy many factories and shops won't use electricity simply because they are closed.

Unfortunately the Officers and the First Class passengers of this doomed ship have sailed away in the life boats leaving us with a lot of empty promises.

There's little reason for them to pretend solar and wind energy will save this ship anymore, so they won't.

"Unfortunately we won't willingly do that -- it will only be accomplished by the destruction of our economy by climate changes and decreasing oil supplies."

I think GliderGuider is spot-on with his belief that global coal consumption will INCREASE as we pass down the peak oil/peak NG slope, global warming be damned.

And God help us if countries undertake widespread construction of Fischer-Topp plants to produce synthetic oil from coal....

government subsidies. However, the whole idea of renewable energy is so obviously the answer, the industry will boom anyway but not as quickly.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=130473&mesg_id=130473

Now they're saying only 6GW of renewable capacity were installed? And if what they mean is that >= 14GW of wind power was installed *without* subsidies, why do they need subsidies?

US wind capacity grew by a little over 5GW in 2007
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=130109&mesg_id=130109

World-wide capacity increased about 20GW
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=130635&mesg_id=130635

Even some "poor" countries are blowing U.S. away, especially when you compare investment/GDP.