clean energy

Last week, the Senate unfortunately failed to act on Senate Bill 3663 – a comprehensive energy reform bill before the August recess. In light of this disappointing delay, it is now more necessary than ever to focus our efforts to develop, and successfully implement, clean energy legislation at the state level.

While some question the value of investments in a green-collar industry, many law makers, as well as individuals and companies, are pushing for stronger development of this sector.

The Silicon Valley Leadership Group and Google co-hosted a morning program this week entitled “Electric Bills and Oil Spills-Will California Continue to Be a Clean Energy Leader?” With more than 400 people in attendance, the question certainly seemed to be a timely and important one.

At the White House this morning, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke made a compelling case for America’s next great industry – the renewable energy industry. Speaking at the Clean Energy Economy Forum, Secretary Locke told an audience of top administration and business leaders that clean energy is key to creating “the greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century.” We couldn’t agree more.

On Friday, President Obama called on Congress to extend the popular clean energy manufacturing tax credit (MTC) [Section 48C] program by approving an additional $5 billion in investment. This would more than double the $2.3 billion that Congress authorized last year as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

An investment of this size would create upwards of 40,000 jobs and generate more than $12 billion in private sector investment, which would lead to an additional 90,000 jobs, according to the president.

Despite the ongoing tragedy in the Gulf, there is still a glimmer of hope to be found amid the devastating oil spill: real attention is finally being paid to the need for a clean energy transition, and at the highest levels of government no less. In a speech delivered at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh last Wednesday, President Obama reiterated his appeal to Congress to pass a climate change bill this year.