Today, April 22nd, marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. To mark the occasion, groups representing workers, manufacturing, and environmental groups will be hitting Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to support policies that ensure American manufacturing capacity is used to meet the increasing demand for renewable energy production. They will be joined by clean energy manufacturing workers from across the country who contribute to the clean energy economy.
Currently, billions of dollars are being invested to support the production of clean energy in the United States. However, Americans have been frustrated to learn that efforts to create jobs here at home are resulting in the creation of manufacturing jobs in China and elsewhere. A prime example is the recent Texas windfarm story, where $450 million in taxpayer subsidies would go to a Chinese wind turbine manufacturer. In fact, Russ Choma at the Investigative Reporting Workshop reports that of $1.05 billion in clean-energy grants handed out by the government, 84 percent - a total of $849 million - has gone to foreign wind companies.
The truth is that the U.S. is struggling to compete against subsidized overseas competition and already runs a green goods trade deficit. In 2008, the U.S. ran an overall green trade deficit of $8.9 billion, including a deficit of $6.4 billion in the critical category of renewable energy.
This week, Vice President Biden told a Building Trades Legislative Conference, "To me, it's a good thing if we get cleaner electricity from a windmill. But it's only a great thing if our guys build the windmill." He couldn't be more right.
As Congress debates energy policy and ways to address climate change, it needs to look to the revitalization of American's renewable energy sector. Specifically, Congress must support Buy America domestic content requirements, increased access to capital for plant re-tooling, and the important 48c manufacturing tax credit for clean energy equipment.
Simply put, without properly designed tax and investment incentives for clean energy generation, loan guarantees for nuclear reactor construction, and other federal supports, efforts to rejuvenate our manufacturing base will continue to be unseated by subsidized imports from countries seeking to capitalize on new demand for clean energy products in the United States, such as wind turbines and solar panels.
Congress and the Obama Administration need to take strong steps to make sure that the U.S. becomes a world leader in clean energy manufacturing. The opportunities for American manufacturers and workers are great, but the challenges are significant. If not addressed properly, the U.S. will replace dependence on foreign oil with dependence on imported renewable goods from China and other competitors, and that's a losing proposition.
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www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2261031/chinese-government-renewables
b) While Sweden's dropped its greenhouse gas emissions 14% since the 1990 Kyoto Accords, it's GDP has nearly doubled. Germany, with the strictest environmental/GHG regs in Europe, now has the 4th largest economy, while more than doubling its GDP.
www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/7204/fromdepartment/7204/page/4
www.google.com/publicdata?ds=wb-wdi&met=ny_gdp_mktp_cd&idim=country:DEU&dl=en&hl=en&q=german+gdp#met=ny_gdp_mktp_cd&idim=country:SWE
So, saying going green will kill our economy is RUBBISH!
Meanwhile, we're
c) 38th in life expectancy, just 2 years ahead of MEXICO. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy
d) 18th among 36 industrialized nations in education.
www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/11/19/US-slipping-in-education-rankings/UPI-90221227104776/
e) DEAD LAST in TRADE BALANCE ~$730 Billion deficit, $585 Billion behind Spain.
China and Germany have surpluses of $352 and $252 Billion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_current_account_balance
f) 12 western hemisphere countries have universal health care, including Cuba, and Trinidad; 30 in Asia; nearly all of Europe. WE DON'T.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_health_care
It's high time we roll up our sleeves and just ignore these useless naysayers because we're COMPETITORS, not QUITTERS!
"Save the planet? We can't even take care of each other and treat each other with respect yet. How do you think we can save the planet?"
Right now, America is one of the largest debtor country in the world. I just cannot see America returning to a role of leadership if drastic changes are not made.