[tomder55]

President Obama should take a lesson from the Brits.

Britain’s wind energy industry increased its call for state aid yesterday, after new figures showed that investment in the sector has collapsed by nearly 80 per cent.

The amount invested in British renewable energy schemes, including wind, solar and wave power, fell from £377 million during the first three months of last year to £79 million during the same period this year, according to figures from New Energy Finance, a research group that monitors industry trends. The figures have raised fresh questions over the Government’s ability to fulfill its pledge to slash Britain’s carbon emissions and produce more than one third of the country’s electricity from green energy by 2020.

There were signs yesterday that the Government was considering the inclusion of measures in the April 22 Budget to prevent the cancellation of large projects such as the London Array, a £3 billion scheme to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm in the Thames Estuary, which Gordon Brown has backed.

Its developers are already seeking a bailout from the European Investment Bank to allow the scheme to proceed. Its 341 turbines would produce enough electricity for 750,000 homes.

Paul Golby, chief executive of E.ON UK, one of Britain’s “big six” energy companies and one of the project’s backers, told The Times he now thought that it would be impossible for the country to meet its target of generating 15 per cent of total energy from renewable sources by 2020, which amounts to 35 per cent of its electricity. The target is a key part of Britain’s promise to cut its carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

Lord Smith of Finsbury, chairman of the Environment Agency, said that it was crucial to Britain’s future in the renewables sector that more funding, including public funding, was made available. “We’ve already seen some companies pull out. We will see more of these things happening if we don’t improve the funding,” he said. “Over the past 10-15 years we have tended to come too late to the table, as a country, when it comes to the development of renewable energy.”

The news comes as the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) prepares to publish a report next week that will warn that Britain must act now if it is to take the opportunity to build a thriving offshore wind energy industry that could employ as many as 70,000 people. The institute said that only 700 people were employed in the sector at present.

The BWEA is calling on Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, to introduce incentives and grants to support the industry in the Budget. It also urged the Government to accelerate planning decisions and reduce the cost to developers of hooking up schemes to the national grid.

Some companies, such as BP and Shell, have already left the wind industry, while others, such as Iberdrola Renovables, the world’s largest wind-farm operator, have cut their investment programmes.

Green energy feels the chill in harsh economic climate - Times Online

Obama's plan to build hundreds of thousands of windmillsto replace coal-fired power plants in the United States and provide “green” energy for America needs to be rethought.
I do not believe that renewable wind and solar will ever provide anymore than 10-15% of our energy needs. If and when wind, solar, and other alternative forms of energy become commercially viable, the market will shift resources in that direction. Creating an artificial crisis like climate change to force change is absurd. Equally absurd is the notion that a market can be created because the government wills it... or "HOPE" it works. If wind energy cannot survive without mandates and subsidies then there is no reason to invest in it on a massive scale.

[excon]

Creating an artificial crisis like climate change to force change is absurd.

Hello tom:

Maybe he should create the idea that oil is going to run out... Nahhh... Nobody will believe that, either.

excon

[inthebox]

President Obama should take a lesson from the Brits.


Green energy feels the chill in harsh economic climate - Times Online

Obama's plan to build hundreds of thousands of windmillsto replace coal-fired power plants in the United States and provide “green” energy for America needs to be rethought.
I do not believe that renewable wind and solar will ever provide anymore than 10-15% of our energy needs. If and when wind, solar, and other alternative forms of energy become commercially viable, the market will shift resources in that direction. Creating an artificial crisis like climate change to force change is absurd. Equally absurd is the notion that a market can be created because the government wills it ....or "HOPE" it works. If wind energy cannot survive without mandates and subsidies then there is no reason to invest in it on a massive scale.

Just to argue ;)

The US gov subsidizes a lot of industry if not outright bails them out :confused:.
Agribusiness is subsidized, one could argue why not renewable energy? Isn't energy supply a national security issue?

I think it is within the POTUS' realm to have a vision of energy independence and to push for this, so as to benefit all US citizens. Of course, I would push for coal, clean coal, hydro, nuclear, wind, solar, offshore drilling, and ANWR drilling; not just the PC "green" sources of wind and solar.





G&P

[tomder55]

In

Agribusiness subsidies are a form of protectionism that I do not favor.

Ex prove that your solution is a viable replacement for oil. Even if I agreed with the peak oil theory I would argue that we have an abundance of coal ,and clean burning natural gas to use in a comprehensive energy independence policy. I would also argue that nuclear power has not been sufficiently utilized in this country .

Wind power is a panace . It will never provide enough energy to replace our needs.

Not only that ,it is detrimental to the health of those living near windmills.
Ever hear of "vibroacoustic syndrome"(VAD);others have called it "wind turbine syndrome" .

[galveston]

Something that is being overlooked by the big boys is the production of hydrogen from water.

The progress is being made by people in their garages and small businesses. They are learning how to extract more HHO using less electric current. I believe this will be the ultimate green technology.

I saw online that the Japanese have developed a small car that converts water to HHO onboard and uses it somehow to drive the car with electricity. All self contained. It may be mass produced soon. If so, all this argument about oil or wind will be moot.

Big oil won't like it though!