NEW ENERGIES WANT "CLEAN ENERGY NOW" (BACK TO FREEDONIA)

A press conference was held in the hypothetical nation of Freedonia September 18.

Representatives of Freedonian industry discussed the grim situation facing Freedonian Legislators with the nation’s economy in turmoil and its energy becoming expensive.

A spokesman from the Hinterlands Power Providers (aka Glenn English, CEO, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association ) talked about how valuable New Energy is to generating affordable electricity to the villages, hamlets, growers and livestock-raising folk, especially as the costs for traditional power rise.

A man from the Hammerers and Sawyers and Pipefitters organizations (aka Jerry Howard, CEO, National Association of Home Builders) talked about how much opportunity there is for new work in the New Energy trades, work that could replace what is being lost as new folk-house building slows.

An Organizer from the Spirits of Forests and Mountains and Rivers (aka Marjorie Alt, Executive Director, Environment America ) said Freedonia’s aura is darkening as its economy slows and, with work hard to find and folks’ homes at risk, New Energy-driven clean transport is more vital than ever to help clear the air.

A Tool Tinkerer (aka Joseph McGuire, President, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers ) talked about the newest tools designed to serve New Energy. He pointed out how much work there would be for Tinkerers if more New Energy were being used.

And broad-shouldered men representing the bold workers everyday striving to better harness the power of the wind and the power of the sun for Freedonia (aka Randall Swisher, Executive Director, American Wind Energy Association, AWEA, and Rhone Resch, President, Solar Energy Industries Association, SEIA) talked about how important the support of Freedonia’s Legislators would be to the sustenance of the New Energy industries.

As reported from Freedonia earlier this week (see NEW ENERGY TAX CREDITS WILL CREATE JOBS, WEALTH), Freedonia’s Old Energies (the Burning Energies) are running out and becoming expensive. Some in the nation were growing grim until Freedonia’s scientists, engineers and innovators raised their wands and invented ways to switch over to the abundance of sun and the wind.

The Burners, hard-hearted Old Energy operators, do not want to believe in the possibilities of the innovators’ inventions. Irrationally conflating a patriotic obligation to Freedonia and burning, they resist making a place in the market for New Energy.

Innovators and the broad-shouldered men and women who build New Energy – along with the Hinterlands Power Providers, the Hammerers-Sawyers-Pipefitters organizations, the Spirits of Forest, Mountain and River, and the Tool Tinkers – believe it is incumbent on Freedonia’s Legislators to create policies and subsidies giving New Energy a fair foothold.

They insist the cost of such policies and subsidies will come back to Freedonia in the form of enormous new opportunities. Numerous studies show it is true. Though the Burners can’t prove the studies wrong but, truly hard of heart, find ways to distort the numbers.

There is no distorting the simple truth: Old Energy had its days of glory as the result of long-term policies that helped it grow. Its time is fading. Now New Energy needs only the same opportunity, the same long-term policies, to assume its rightful place in the energy pantheon.

The issue is deeply in doubt. This is the last time Freedonia’s Legislators will meet under its current Tribune. Under its next Tribune, things may be very different for the better or very different for the not so much better.

Will Freedonia’s Legislators act?

Call it Freedonia. (click to enlarge)

The Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 is scheduled for a final vote on Tuesday, September 23, 2008.

Existing tax credits vital to New Energy expire at the end of 2008 but the legislation, if passed, will extend them.

Randall Swisher, Executive Director, AWEA: "Today, the wind industry is experiencing record growth, and hiring new workers every day…Unfortunately, many of those newly created jobs are now at risk, and urgent bipartisan action by Congress is needed…"

Rhone Resch, president, SEIA: "Congress is in the position now to inject the U.S. economy with hundreds of thousands of domestic jobs and unleash billions of dollars of private investment capital, while at the same time improving our energy security and energy independence…"

Melinda Pierce, chief lobbyist, Sierra Club: “We are looking at September as the last, best chance…”

Freedonia’s Legislators can be reached through the U.S. Senate. Send emails from POWER OF WIND or SEIA’s Take Action

Green Recovery: A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low Carbon Economy, a recent report from the Center for American Progress and the Political Economy Research Institute, underscores the enormous potential of the New Energy industries to provide U.S. jobs.

A NewEnergyNews report earlier this week detailed the financial return and jobs that will come from the extension of the tax credits. (see NEW ENERGY TAX CREDITS WILL CREATE JOBS, WEALTH)

Wealth. (click to enlarge)

Tech industry launches lobbying blitz
Chris Frates, September 8, 2008 (Politico)
and
Clean Energy NOW: Diverse Coalition Calls on Congress to Extend Clean Energy Tax Incentives
September 18, 2008 (Business Wire via MarketWatch)
and
Bipartisan deal in Senate would extend renewable tax credits
Kate Sheppard, September 17, 2008 (Grist)
and
Energy Day: Your Guide to Today’s Congressional Oil Debate
Keith Johnson, September 16, 2008 (Wall Street Journal)

WHO
The Clean Energy NOW Coalition, 200+ organizations from across the political spectrum (Representatives: Randall Swisher, Executive Director, American Wind Energy Association (AWEA); Glenn English, CEO, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association; Jerry Howard, CEO, National Association of Home Builders; Rhone Resch, President, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA); Joseph McGuire, President, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers; Marjorie Alt, Executive Director, Environment America) Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont), Chairman, Senate Finance Committee and Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Minority Leader, Senate Finance Committee

WHAT
The coalition representatives unanimously called on the Senate to pass long-term extensions for the battery of tax credits for New Energy and Energy Efficiency, including the wind industry’s production tax credit (PTC) and the solar industry’s investment tax credit (ITC).

Jobs. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- August 21, 2008: The coalition sent its first letter to Republican and Democratic House and Senate leaders urging extension of the New Energy and Energy Efficiency tax credits.
- Currently: PR campaigns, meetings on Capitol Hill, appeal to constituencies
- Already: According to Swisher and Resch, impacts are being felt in their industries and they are seeing a downturn in new projects
- December 31, 2008: The present tax credits expire.
- 2009: There is every reason to expect a recession in one of the few sectors of the economy that continues to grow.

WHERE
- Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul: The Coalition created an impact and conveyed its message at both the Democratic and Republican conventions.
- Every Congressional district: It is time for constituents to make their support for the tax credits felt in D.C. through POWER OF WIND or SEIA’s Take Action
- Swisher and Resch acknowledged that wind and solar industry revenues and jobs will go to Asia and Europe if the U.S. does not create long-term incentives to grow them domestically.

WHY
- There are reports the Senate has reached agreement on extension of the New Energy and Energy Efficiency tax credits.
- The agreement, brokered by Senators Baucus and Grassley, would reportedly extend the wind PTC 1 year, other New Energy PTCs 2 years, the solar ITC for 8 years and create a package of other tax credits for things like geothermal system and PHEV purchases. (See The Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008)
- The legislation includes an agreement to allow offshore drilling to within 50 miles of the coast (if approved by state legislatures) and to shift $18 billion in tax breaks for the oil industry to fund the New Energy subisidies. It also contains a $20 billion “Apollo” program to make 85% of American cars and trucks alternative-fuel vehicles in 20 years and provides funding for new transmission.
- The Senate legislation does not include the House bill’s national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) requiring a percent of the nation’s grid power to come from New Energy sources by a date certain.

click to enlarge

QUOTES
- Jim Hock, spokesman, Clean Energy NOW coalition: “Research is the foundation of our innovation economy, and this [R&D tax] credit is a critical tool to make sure that America’s companies are more competitive vis-à-vis their global competition…”
- Margie Alt, Executive Director, Environment America: "Investing in clean energy solves so many of the problems facing the nation - it would help end our dependence on oil; stop the drilling and mining off our coasts and in other special places; clean up our air and help stop global warming. And those environmental benefits are on top of putting people to work in good jobs and giving the economy a much needed boost. We can't afford to wait for the next president and new Congress to renew the tax credits for wind and solar power and energy efficiency,"
- Glenn English, CEO, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association: "Many of the nation's renewable resources -- wind, geothermal, biomass, hydro -- are located in rural electric cooperative territory. Extending the Clean Renewable Energy Bond program will allow cooperatives to develop these critical energy resources…"
- Joseph M. McGuire, President, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers: "The incentives will accelerate design, production and market acceptance of highly efficient appliances, potentially saving consumers $33 million per year in electricity, gas and water costs and $360 million over the life of those appliances."
- Jerry Howard, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders: "Home buyers are asking for energy efficiency, and our members build homes that are significantly more energy efficient than those of a generation ago…But in today's economic climate, home builders need incentives to spur them to even more action…"