Breaking: Major Solar Energy Threat, Cuts in House Budget
February 14th, 2011 by Zachary Shahan
Not the kind of breaking news you want to share, but sometimes it’s necessary.
The House of Representatives are looking to cut billions of dollars in loan guarantees for solar projects according to documents released this weekend. Of course, with solar being a leading job-creation category (per dollar invested), the great need to provide out country with renewable energy generated at home (as in, not in foreign countries), and homeowners’ need for cheap, clean electricity, this would be very bad news.
“While there is certainly a need to address the long-term fiscal issues in the United States, these cuts to the loan guarantee program would be disasterous for all solar projects with pending loan guarantees,” the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) writes. “At a time when the economy is beginning to recover, we cannot afford to jeopardize the tens of thousands of jobs these projects represent.”
Solar energy is expected to grow considerably in the coming years in the U.S., but only if it can get on equal footing with fossil fuel energy sources that have been getting subsidies from the federal government for approximately half a century.
The House’s proposal to pull the rug out from underneath the solar industry at this time is surely a result of the fact that they have been bought by the rich fossil fuel industry. Our political system is built on supporting the rich these days. And the common citizens and young solar companies that benefit from solar loan guarantees are not the rich.
But, hopefully, if there’s an ounce of democracy left in our system (and I think there is), you can help save the solar industry by telling your representatives in Congress not to cut solar loan guarantees.
“Tell Congress to protect American jobs and restore the solar loan guarantees by striking sections 1425 and 3001 from H.R. 1″ via a petition on SEIA’s site.
And share this article with friend via Facebook, Twitter, email, StumbleUpon, etc. or at least share the petition on Facebook.
Photo Credit: khalid almasoud
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About the Author
Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.
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