Energy outlook report shows positive impact on jobs
(via The Spectrum.com)
The Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration has released its updated 2009 Energy Outlook Report to assess the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, passed by Congress in January, on the U.S. energy outlook.
AARA's energy-specific provisions aim to create more than 500,000 jobs, by accelerating deployment of smart-grid technology, providing energy-efficiency funds for the nation's schools, offering support for the nation's governors and mayors to tackle their energy challenges, and establishing a new loan guarantee program to keep the nation's transition to renewable energy on track during the economic crisis.
The EIA report shows that the recovery bills clean energy provisions are working. As Congress begins consideration of the Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate bill this week, the EIA report signals that America's economy should be fueled by clean energy that will grow jobs, decrease energy costs and oil dependence, and reduce heat-trapping pollution.
"The EIA report supports the movement in Congress to pass clean energy legislation to reduce our dependence on oil, save consumers money, and create clean energy jobs," says Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass. "If we want a lasting and sustainable economic recovery, we must pass comprehensive clean energy legislation."
The report found that ARRA's clean energy tax credits and loan guarantee program will result in "a significant expansion in the use of renewable fuels for electricity generation, particularly in the near-term."
The recovery package also doubles the amount of wind energy to be built by 2012, with a 67 percent overall increase by 2030. In addition, ARRA's provisions promoting clean energy, greater efficiency and lower energy consumption are expected to result in a 1.3 percent reduction in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2013. .
Where to get energy
To stimulus or not to stimulus - that is the question. When it comes to energy where to get that energy. In a world that makes no sense and change happens so quickly do we continue business as usual? Can we afford to turn a blind eye to supply and demand of energy? What are the answers and where do we find comfort in the direction we decide to trek?
With new oil discoveries almost nonexistent and reluctance to drill new wells. What do we do for our energy? With the cheap oil gone and the world demanding more energy where do we turn?
With the economy down and little hope of a quick recovery, what other opportunities can we explore to change our world? As the industrial revolution created a new economy so can a change in where and how we get our energy. We cannot change from one source of energy to another with a flick of our magic finger. It will take time and resources.
Take photovoltaic modules that create electricity from the sun. For many years manufactures could not keep up with the demand.
In 2002, the first grid-tied system installs were more than off-grid system installs. Mainstream America was installing as much renewable energy as the marijuana growers and hippies were in the early days of the industry.
To just keep up with growth of our energy needs we would need to install more energy from photovoltaic modules than what has been installed to date. We would need to keep doubling the installations each year for several years to make a significant impact on our energy consumption.
You can see that manufacturing needs to expand at a significant rate to keep up. Installers and suppliers would need to grow at a tremendous rate.
Wind energy would have to expand manufacturing and installations of wind farms. Install turbines on land and sea. Turbines on the sea and under the sea, on buildings and farms, every where there is a wind resource, it would needs to be exploited.
Renewable energy is not the whole answer but it can make an impressive impact on our energy needs. We have to conclude that there is only so much oil left and the world is consuming it much faster than it consumed in the past.
Renewable energy in not like the oil industry needing stimulus money every year. Give this industry 5 to 10 years and it will stand on its own. Examples are Japan and Germany. Look what they have accomplished. These two counties made a commitment and look at the results. What if the greatest nation on earth made a choice to change its source for energy?
The only motivation for me to advocate the move from fossil fuels to a new energy source is to get this nation off the oil. Our dependency on oil is drastically compromising our safety and tranquility.
Stewart Somerville is owner of Alternative Power Systems in Cedar City. He can be reached at 586-9181 or by e-mail to stewart@cedarcity.net. His Web site is www.apssolar.com.
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