Despite all the talk of green jobs, the overwhelming majority of stimulus money spent on wind power has gone to foreign companies, according to a new report by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at the American University's School of Communication in Washington, D.C.
The American Wind Energy Association came out with a report last week that showed a drop in wind manufacturing jobs in the United States for last year. But during that time, enough wind farms have been built to power 2.4 million homes and create lots of new, green jobs.
Nearly $2 billion in money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been spent on wind power, funding the creation of enough new wind farms to power 2.4 million homes over the past year. But the study found that nearly 80 percent of that money has gone to foreign manufacturers of wind turbines.
So Where Are the Jobs?
"Most of the jobs are going overseas," said Russ Choma at the Investigative Reporting Workshop. He analyzed which foreign firms had accepted the most stimulus money. "According to our estimates, about 6,000 jobs have been created overseas, and maybe a couple hundred have been created in the U.S."
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called the flow of money to foreign companies an outrage, because the stimulus, he said, was intended to create jobs inside the United States.
"This is one of those stories in Washington that when you tell people five miles outside the Beltway, or anywhere else in America, they cannot believe it," Schumer told ABC News, "It makes people lose faith in government, and it frankly infuriates me."
Matt Rogers, the senior adviser to the Secretary of Energy for the Recovery Act, denied there was a problem.
"The recovery act is creating jobs in the U.S. for American workers," said Rogers, "That is what the recovery act is about, that is what it is doing. Every dollar from the recovery act is going to create jobs for the American workers here in the U.S."Despite all the talk of green jobs, the overwhelming majority of stimulus money spent... more
President’s Obama’s State of the Union speech spelled out the challenges we face both at home, and laid an outline for moving forward. While I didn’t agree with all of what the President said, I did agree with a few things. First, that “no area is more ripe for innovation than energy.” New clean energy policies are good for our economy. They’ll create the right incentives for innovation and investment that help create new jobs using clean energy. These are family-supporting jobs in manufacturing, construction and engineering for workers installing wind turbines and solar panels, retrofitting buildings and building next-generation fuel-efficient cars. The President stated that 200,000 jobs have been saved or created in construction and clean energy, and Florida is well positioned to capitalize on new clean energy policies that would incentivize new jobs, businesses and industries. Recent studies find that the right policies will create up to 78,000 new jobs in Florida – and more than 1.7 million all across America.
Secondly: “the nation that leads the clean energy economy, will be the nation that leads the global economy.” It’s not just environmentalists arguing that bold clean energy and climate policies are the key to creating new jobs and rebuilding the economy – some of America’s most respected companies are also pushing for Senate action this year. Recently, 84 CEOs from U.S. companies, including Nike, Virgin America, eBay and Levi Strauss, drafted a letter to President Obama and the U.S. Congress that stated:
“We, American business leaders from companies of all sizes and sectors of our economy, call on you to move swiftly and boldly to enact comprehensive energy and climate legislation. This legislation will spur a new energy economy and with it create 1.7 million new American jobs, many in struggling communities across the country. At the same time, it will enhance our national security by making America more energy independent while also cutting carbon emissions.”
The CEOs caution that “the United States is falling behind in the global race to lead the new energy economy” and that only “strong policies and clear market signals” will help American firms compete globally in the race for the clean energy technologies of the future – and the jobs that go with them.
Finally, the President stated that we can’t afford to wait. “Germany is not waiting. India is not waiting. These nations — they’re not standing still. These nations aren’t playing for second place. They’re putting more emphasis on math and science. They’re rebuilding their infrastructure. They’re making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs. Well, I do not accept second place for the United States of America.”...(click link to read more)President’s Obama’s State of the Union speech spelled out the challenges... more
The one thing that holds many of these projects back is the financing of them. They can be quite expensive to get rolling, but because of islands like Samso, improvements will continue to be made and over time, these prices will come down. We just need to keep plugging away and sooner or later the world is going to come around to greener way of thinking. http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/convert-to-100-wind-power/The one thing that holds many of these projects back is the financing of them. They... more
In his first State of the Union address, President Barack Obama touched on climate issues only briefly. He called on the Senate to pass a climate bill, but did not give Congress a deadline or promise to veto weak legislation. Nor did he mention the Copenhagen climate conference, where international negotiators struggled to produce an agreement on limiting global carbon emissions.
The Obama administration’s attitude towards climate change still represents a remarkable shift from the Bush years, when global warming was treated as little more than a fairy tale. But in the past year, Congressional squabbling has stalled climate legislation, and international negotiators nearly gridlocked in talks over carbon admissions at the multinational Copenhagen conference. Without strong leadership from the president, work to prevent this looming environmental crisis will stall.
Obama did address global warming skeptics, saying that they should support investment in clean energy, “because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy.”
“And America must be that nation,” Obama said.
No push for climate bill
Despite his combative language, the president did not challenge Congress to push for real solutions to ballooning carbon emissions and energy consumption. As Forrest Wilder of The Texas Observer notes, Obama “uttered the phrase ‘climate change’ precisely once.”
The Senate has already wait-listed the climate bill: Health care came first. With health care reform now in line behind work on jobs and bank regulation, climate legislation has little chance of passing the Senate in the coming months, let alone making it to the president’s desk.
If Congress lets this work wait until after the midterm elections, the United States will show up at international negotiations in December 2010 as a leader in carbon emissions yet again, but with little in hand to show a way forward.
Clean energy, not renewable energy
When the president did bring up climate issues, he focused on their connection between climate reform and potential job creation. Obama highlighted areas for growth, not in renewable energy fields like wind or solar power, but in nuclear power, natural gas, and clean coal.
Yes, these fuel sources could decrease the country’s carbon emissions. But they are not solutions that will revolutionize energy production. Grist’s David Roberts was floored that the speech omitted renewable energy entirely and kowtowed to a more conservative litany of energy projects. “I suppose it was done to flatter conservative Senators that will have to vote for the bill Kerry, Lieberman, and Graham are working on,” he writes. (The three Senators are working on a version of the climate bill designed to appeal to Republicans.)
“But the SOTU is not a policy negotiation,” Roberts says. “It’s a bully pulpit, a chance to shape rather than respond to existing narratives.”
Roberts argues that progressive supporters would benefit from a stronger message. If activists knew that the White House stands behind a real shift in America’s energy policy, they could use that prompt to drive action on climate change.
What was missing
While touting the virtues of off-shore drilling, Obama overlooked other policies that could broker real change. Although he admonished Congress to pass a climate bill, he did not pressure the legislature on what he’d like that bill to include. He did not mention cap-and-trade, the mechanism the House bill relies on to tamp down emissions and dirty energy use.
President Obama did touch on transportation reforms that could decrease the country’s use of fossil fuels.
“There’s no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains,” Obama said. He cited a high-speed rail project that broke ground on Tuesday in Tampa, FL, as evidence that America could best the rest of the world in creating new energy-efficient technology.
But one or two high-profilBy Sarah Laskow, Media Consortium Blogger
In his first State of the Union address,... more
While debates about the economy, unemployment and the effectiveness of the stimulus plan continue to rage throughout the country, their appears to be a bright spot for proponents of clean energy stimulus spending.
According to Whitehouse.gov, the release of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) 4th Quarter 2009 industry assessment(PDF) indicates that stimulus spending is directly responsible for turning a potential 50% decline in growth in the wind power sector into a 39% increase in growth in the country's fleet of wind plants in 2009 alone.
"The U.S. wind industry shattered all installation records in 2009, and this was directly attributable to the lifeline that was provided by the stimulus package," Denise Bode, the trade association's chief executive told The New York Times Deal Book Blog. "The second half of the year was extraordinary. But manufacturers didn't see much growth because they had built up so much inventory."
The White House also points out the environmental benefits to this economic growth: "America's wind power fleet will avoid an estimated 62 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, equivalent to taking 10.5 million cars off the road. "
Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) co-author of the Waxman-Markey clean energy bill, praised the results of the assessment: "In 2009, America's wind capacity grew by nearly 40 percent - blowing past the expectations that existed prior to the passage of the Recovery Act, These numbers show the potential for growth in clean energy, if only our country will make a commitment to these technologies."
The AWEA report also points out, however, that "The wind manufacturing sector has the potential to employ many more Americans in green jobs, but without a renewable electricity standard to provide a long-term market, the sector will be slow to grow."While debates about the economy, unemployment and the effectiveness of the stimulus... more
Encased in acrylic and a special mirror finish, the 8m-diameter dome will – thanks to solar technology and wind turbines – be entirely weather controlled and energy independent, offering overnight guests a cosy wraparound view of the Dolomites.http://cubeme.com/blog/2009/01/28/ross-lovegroves-alpine-capsule/Encased in acrylic and a special mirror finish, the 8m-diameter dome will –... more
Italy's installed wind power capacity rose more than 30 percent last year to 4,850 megawatts, boosted by record installation, industry associations said on Friday.
Installation in 2009 was 1,114 megawatts, in line with that of previous years, they said in a joint statement. Wind power production was a record of about 6.7 terawatt hours, or 2.1 percent of internal consumption.
The growth came "despite the financial crisis that overran the national and international economies in 2009," said the statement from the National Wind Energy Association (ANEV), the Board for New Technology (ENEA), the Renewable Energy Producers Association (APER) and the Italian unit of the International Solar Energy Society.
Italy is third in Europe and sixth in the world in wind power production despite lacking overall rules for the sector, it said.
Swift action by the government on that issue would allow Italy to reach its potential wind power capacity of more than 16,000 megawatts, the statement said.
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Funny how countries like Italy actually see a boon to sustainable energy even with an "economic crisis" and the US only uses the "economic crisis" as an excuse to actually prolong real progress that would be economically beneficial.Italy's installed wind power capacity rose more than 30 percent last year to... more
By generating 40% of the energy required by wind Spain set a world record last week. When high winds blew through north-west Spain on Thursday, a massive 11,180 MW was generated. Of course the wind energy farms were helped by one of the strongest spells of fierce winds experienced by the region recently.
Spain has been at the forefront of producing clean energy, especially wind energy. By producing 11.5% of its overall energy through wind turbines Spain has become the 3rd largest producer of wind energy after Germany (2nd) and US (1st). Whereas many European countries like the UK are dragging their feet around the figure of 7300 MW, Spain has an ambitious target of achieving 20,000 MW by 2010.
The major companies working in the wind energy generation segment in Spain are Iberdrola, Acciona and Endesa.
At their peak production performance, Spain’s wind turbines were working at 69% of the maximum theoretical potential. Among the top three wind generation producing countries in the world Spain is producing around 16,000 MW, Germany around 24,000 MW and the US around 25,000 MW, consequently, enjoying the first place. Even after being the biggest producer of wind energy, America still produces just 1% of its total energy requirements and that is why Spain was able to set the record.
The figures came as the World Wildlife Fund praised Spain’s rapid move into renewable energies. Spain has also earned praises from WWF for its overall effort in developing renewable energy during the past 12 years. By the next year Spain aims to meet 30% of its annual electricity demand from renewable sources.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar pledged on Wednesday to make a final decision on the controversial Cape Wind project on Nantucket Sound in April, while some powerful opponents said they will keep fighting until the wind farm is moved to a less visually disruptive site.
The project has been caught in a regulatory net for nine years.
"I think that nine years after an application is filed for a permit from the United States government, to have it continuing to face a future of uncertainty is bad for everybody that’s involved," Salazar told reporters.
The announcement followed meetings in Washington with officials from local towns, tribes and opponent and proponent organizations.
Salazar said if the parties can't resolve their standoff by March 1, he would terminate the consultation process and make a decision to fully deny or approve the project on his own. ...
A recent New York Times article reveals that some of the greenest technologies of the age, from electric cars to efficient light bulbs to very large wind turbines, are made possible by an unusual group of elements called rare earths. And the world’s dependence on these substances is rising fast. The Times says these elements come almost entirely from China, from some of the most environmentally damaging mines in the country, in an industry dominated by criminal gangs.A recent New York Times article reveals that some of the greenest technologies of the... more
Big shifts seem to be stirring in the wind turbine market. Foreign companies are backing out of China due to Chinas move to use more home-grown technology. At the same time, China is looking to expand its wind turbine sales into Europe.Big shifts seem to be stirring in the wind turbine market. Foreign companies are... more
Rooftop solar panels are unlikely to elicit complaints from neighbors–they’re silent and relatively unobtrusive. But loud rooftop wind turbines? That’s where the virtually NIMBY-proof Ridgeblade turbine comes in. The turbine, designed by a former Rolls Royce turbine engineer at UK-based The Power Collective, boasts a sleek profile that is both powerful and visually pleasing.
Instead of creating a free-standing turbine that sticks out for all the neighbors to see, The Power Collective designed its long-bladed turbine to fit in along the ridge of a roof, where wind currents are strongest. The Ridgeblade packs a powerful punch, too — it has the wind-capturing potential of a medium sized turbine.
The turbine isn’t yet on the market, but a $750,000 grant from the Green Challenge Awards has given The Power Collective a big push towards commercializing the Ridgeblade. No word on how much the turbine will cost when it is finally released, but your neighbors’ peace of mind might just be worth the extra costRooftop solar panels are unlikely to elicit complaints from... more
I just called and was told there have been several hundred other calls and that they are looking into legal ways to stop it. The person I spoke to didn't sound very enthused though. But please, call the number at the link and tell the EPA to intervene. It is the one way we can stop this once and for all!
Is the Earth worth one phone call?
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Mountaintop removal blasting has begun on Coal River Mountain.
These operations are happening only a few hundred feet away from the Brushy Fork impoundment dam, which holds over 8.2 billion gallons of toxic coal sludge above Pettus, WV. If the dam bursts, nearly a thousand people in the Coal River Valley would likely lose their lives within minutes.
At the same time, Coal River Mountain is the proposed site of an industrial wind farm. Studies have shown that its ridges have the highest and most productive wind potential. The Coal River Wind Project has done research to demonstrate that a wind farm on top of the mountain could generate approximately 1.2% of West Virginia's total energy needs, create 300 jobs in the area, and generate a long-term tax revenue stream. Every day that blasting happens, the possibility for the wind farm diminishes.
The state of West Virginia refuses to do anything about this destruction. Please contact the EPA and ask them to intevene at Coal River Mountain.
Call Lisa Jackson's office at (202) 564-4700.I just called and was told there have been several hundred other calls and that they... more
A new iPhone app from the makers of Windspire wind turbines allows you to measure wind speed with your iPhone and more.A new iPhone app from the makers of Windspire wind turbines allows you to measure wind... more
Iowa has become the second-largest producer of wind power in the U.S., and some credit an aggressive and supportive role played by local government.
That support is seen in numerous ways: Wind-energy producers and equipment makers enjoy state tax breaks, and projects of 25 megawatts or smaller don't need to be certified by the utilities board. In addition, producers know ahead of time that they will be able to recover their costs from customers, which makes them more likely to invest. Iowa counties, meanwhile, appreciate the revenue and the jobs that wind farms produce, and have few zoning regulations for wind turbines.
"Iowa shows that concentrated and consistent leadership from governors and consistent support from the state regulatory commission can get a lot done," says Hans Detweiler, director of state policy at the American Wind Energy Association, or AWEA, a trade group based in Washington, D.C.
Indeed, as more states and the federal government seek to encourage more production of renewable energy, Iowa may point the way.
"There's very little regulation," says Terry Monson, who deals with permitting and legal work at independent power developer Renewable Power Markets Access Inc., based in Juno Beach, Fla. "It's very expeditious." Mr. Monson's company has eight wind projects established or under development in Iowa.
Flat Is Good
Nature and geography have lent a hand, too, of course.
Iowa may point the way as more states seek to encourage production of renewable energy
."First, it's relatively flat, making it easy to build," says Scott Jacobson, managing director of wind power finance at Iberdrola Renewables SA, a Spanish engineering and renewable energy company that entered the state in 2003 and now has more than 300 megawatts of local wind projects. Iowa is also "relatively rural, making land control easy," Mr. Jacobson says.
What's more, winds there are strong, and the state lies in an enviable position on the grid—close to load centers like Chicago and Milwaukee.
Last year, Iowa added 1,600 megawatts of wind capacity, jumping ahead of California for second place behind Texas. At the end of the second quarter of 2009, Iowa had 3,043 megawatts of total wind capacity, compared with 8,361 megawatts in Texas and 2,787 megawatts in California, according to the wind-energy association. Iowa's wind now powers about 15% of the state's electricity consumption, which represents a lofty goal for many other states.
The so-called Corn State began promoting renewable-energy sources as early as 1978, when, in response to the oil shock, it passed a property-tax exemption for wind, solar and other types of generators whose electricity was used on site. Then, in 1983, the state adopted the first renewable-energy mandate in the U.S., requiring that its investor-owned utilities draw power from 105 megawatts of renewable generation by 1990.
That's not much by today's standards, but it got the ball rolling. During the 1990s, Iowa added a few megawatts of wind installations a year, until 1999, when the total jumped to 232 megawatts installed, thanks largely to new federal tax credits and the arrival of powerful new European turbines. Iowa met its renewable-power mandate goal in 1997.Iowa has become the second-largest producer of wind power in the U.S., and some credit... more
But I want to know why I never hear this concept brought up when people talk about the many possible sources of safe, renewable, and envriornmently friendly energy?
The video does not say when the Tower was built though I suspect it has been there for about a decade.
You hear how Solar Panels can only work during the day and that Wind Mills can only work when it's windy.
So why don't you hear about a renewable energy technology that can work a day long?The video explains it.
But I want to know why I never hear this concept brought up... more
While some cities and states are busy passing regulations that either restrict or ban wind turbines altogether (North Carolina), the city of Palmdale has taken steps to make wind turbine installation easier.While some cities and states are busy passing regulations that either restrict or ban... more
Mark Jacobson, professor of civil and environmental engineering, has coauthored an article that is the cover story in the November issue of Scientific American. The article presents new research mapping out and evaluating a quantitative plan for powering the entire world on wind, water and solar energy, including an assessment of the materials needed and costs. And it will ultimately be cheaper than sticking with fossil fuel or going nuclear. Credit: Linda Cicero, Stanford University News Service
Most of the technology needed to shift the world from fossil fuel to clean, renewable energy already exists. Implementing that technology requires overcoming obstacles in planning and politics, but doing so could result in a 30 percent decrease in global power demand, say Stanford civil and environmental engineering Professor Mark Z. Jacobson and University of California-Davis researcher Mark Delucchi.
To make clear the extent of those hurdles - and how they could be overcome - they have written an article that is the cover story in the November issue of Scientific American. In it, they present new research mapping out and evaluating a quantitative plan for powering the entire world on wind, water and solar energy, including an assessment of the materials needed and costs. And it will ultimately be cheaper than sticking with fossil fuel or going nuclear, they say.Mark Jacobson, professor of civil and environmental engineering, has coauthored an... more
(CNN) -- William Kamkwamba dreamed of powering his village with the only resource that was freely available to him.
His native Malawi had gone through one of its worst droughts seven years ago, killing thousands. His family and others were surviving on one meal a day. The red soil in his Masitala hometown was parched, leaving his father, a farmer, without any income.
But amid all the shortages, one thing was still abundant. Wind.
"I wanted to do something to help and change things," he said. "Then I said to myself, 'If they can make electricity out of wind, I can try, too.'"
Kamkwamba was kicked out of school when he couldn't pay $80 in school fees, and he spent his days at the library, where a book with photographs of windmills caught his eye.
Armed with the book, the then-14-year-old taught himself to build windmills. He scoured through junkyards for items, including bicycle parts, plastic pipes, tractor fans and car batteries. For the tower, he collected wood from blue-gum trees.
That was 2002. Now, he has five windmills, the tallest at 37 feet. He built one at an area school that he used to teach classes on windmill-building.
The windmills generate electricity and pump water in his hometown, north of the capital, Lilongwe. Neighbors regularly trek across the dusty footpaths to his house to charge their cellphones. Others stop by to listen to Malawian reggae music blaring from a radio.
Kamkwamba, now 22, is a student at the African Leadership Academy, an elite South African school for young leaders. Donors pay for his education.
Former Associated Press correspondent Bryan Mealer, who covered Africa, wrote a book, "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind," after hearing Kamkwamba's story. The book was released in the United States last week.
Kamkwamba is part of a generation of Africans who are not waiting for their governments or aid groups to come to their rescue, according to the author.(CNN) -- William Kamkwamba dreamed of powering his village with the only resource that... more
I found this article hopeful for wind generation and conservation of our wildlife habitat. I am aware of the consequences of interfering with wildlife habitat or destroying it with roads and other equipment needed.
I am also aware that if we don't do what needs to be done, there will be no wildlife, for we will have polluted our planet to the point nothing can live.
Excerpt:
Much More Than Just Turbine Strikes
A growing body of data and analysis is allowing researchers to make more specific observations and projections about the effects of climate change. In the United States, scientists have already charted an average increase in temperatures of 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit in the past 100 years, as well as longer growing seasons, sea-level rises, earlier snowmelt and retreating glaciers.
The projected climate shifts for the Great Plains will be among the most severe. According to a new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the plains will experience an average increase of 2.5 to 13 degrees Fahrenheit by 2090. (The variation depends on which emissions scenario is used. The greater the reduction in emissions of heat-trapping gases, the smaller the temperature increase.) Other projected effects include an increase in droughts and heat waves.
The report also warns of ripple effects on native habitats and species, from a proliferation of invasives to harder times for local wildlife — especially ground-nesting birds like grouse and prairie chickens. “Grassland and plains birds, already besieged by habitat fragmentation, could experience significant shifts and reductions in their range,” finds the report.
Without drastic reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, grassland bird species may find themselves without any habitat. It’s something of a Catch-22 for the birds. Building a clean-energy infrastructure is crucial to saving their habitat — but not if the turbines and towers are built on top of their remaining range.
For Manes, the best of both worlds would be to direct wind-power development into existing farm fields and out of crucial habitats. Indeed, a number of well-sited wind farms across the country already produce clean electricity.
In 2008, wind turbines produced 48 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, according to the American Wind Energy Association. That’s enough energy to power 4.5 million U.S. homes for one year. If the equivalent electricity were produced using conventional U.S. fuel supplies (largely coal and natural gas), 44 million tons of CO2 would have been pumped into the air.I found this article hopeful for wind generation and conservation of our wildlife... more
