We all know the importance of exercising your right to vote this Tuesday, November 6th, and I would like to take some time to discuss the impact on solar your vote could make for the next 4 years. A glance at half the country and you see angry voters arguing failed subsidies and chanting 'Solyndra' like it's a dirty word, and the other half demanding clean energy and elimination of funding to oil and coal. Most of the country's voters have already made up their minds, but if you are still making some last minute considerations, or simply want to enjoy reading entertaining chit-chat on the future of solar in our country, then today is your lucky day.
The Overall Energy Plan: Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney and the GOP party has committed to achieving North American energy independence by 2020, which includes reducing oil imports abroad and expanding domestic energy sources including coal, oil, natural gas, and renewables. Read more specific details at http://www.mittromney.com/issues/energy.
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| Romney-Ryan 2012 promises to expand domestic fossil fuel drilling while reducing subsidies like the Federal ITC for new renewable energy expansion. |
This "All-in" approach that Romney is pushing is not necessarily a bad one for the American economy. It has the potential to significantly lower energy costs and allow homes and businesses to focus more of their money towards other ventures, with the Republicans touting particularly that new jobs will be created from this plan. Currently, the majority of the nation's electricity is derived from coal power, and Mitt Romney certainly plans to expand and explore more clean coal mining to lower energy costs and bring jobs to coal mining towns.
The drawbacks, though, leave many questioning how exactly are Mitt and his GOP colleagues going to create these new jobs and what will be the future of the solar industry and their nearly 120,000 (and rapidly growing) jobs that come with it? There is enough of an argument on the validity of 'clean coal' and that it cannot be considered a clean energy technology since there is still production of greenhouse gases through burning and gasification. Additionally, the solar industry has come under fire from the republican party, citing misuse of government spending to support defunct green companies like Solyndra and, more recently, A123 Systems, which have taken millions in government loans and then declared bankruptcy over weak sales and rising price competition from mostly Chinese based solar energy companies.
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| Federally backed companies like Solyndra have come under fire since going bankrupt due to poor sales and cheaper competition from Chinese solar companies. |
Overall, Mitt's plan for America if he is elected includes the following points;
- More than three million new jobs, including over one million in manufacturing;
- An economic resurgence adding more than $500 billion to GDP;
- A stronger dollar and a reduced trade deficit;
- More than $1 trillion in revenue for federal, state, and local governments;
- Lower energy prices for job creators and middle-class families; and
- National security strengthened by freedom from dependence on foreign energy supplies.
But, unfortunately, his plan does not including any specific promises for expanding or extending any federal incentives for solar. Most likely, they will shift in the opposite direction, and possibly disappear if the congress has an opportunity to remove or change programs like the federal 30% Investment Tax Credit, or the recently expired 1603 federal grant program. Under the Romney plan, solar surely will have a cloudy future.
The Overall Energy Plan: Barack Obama
The following video clip shows the current administration's plan for energy policy over the next 4 years if Obama were to be reelected. Take a look,
The Obama energy policy has a somewhat similar approach as the Romney plan, and adopts the phrase "All of the above" strategy, suggesting achieving energy independence by supporting domestic energy production, as well as aiming to reduce our carbon footprint and lowering air pollution. The current administration has pledged to increase fuel emission standards, create renewable energy portfolio standards, and support green energy jobs to make us more energy independent. Over the past 4 years, we have seen solar and wind energy production in America more than double, and he has pledged a continued plan for 80% clean energy production by 2035. You can see more of his specific points here http://www.whitehouse.gov/energy.
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| President Obama has called for a standard of 80% of energy production to be from clean energy sources by 2035 |
As for the current incentives for solar and renewables in America, President Obama has pledged to continue to support these plans and the creation of 225,000 new green energy jobs if he is reelected. Through investing in clean energy companies domestically, we can reduce our need on foreign energy sources and create new jobs. The democrats would also fight to cut subsidies for big oil companies, which according to former President Bill Clinton at SPI Orlando in September of this year, received (along with coal, nuclear, and natural gas) $22 of federal support for every federal dollar spent on renewable energy. Certainly with this size of funding disparity one can see why solar has had such an uphill battle to climb in this country.
If one were looking just at solar energy, it is clear that Obama has pledged the greatest benefits and incentives to the industry. But it is not just this one issue that should be your final decision on who to vote for on Tuesday. It is important to look at each candidate's entire plan on several issues that are important to you so that you may make an educated voting decision. To take a closer look, visit the following websites to see all the issues yourself, and head to the polls on Tuesday. Best of luck to you!
Mitt Romney's Website: http://www.mittromney.com/
President Obama's Website: http://www.barackobama.com/
Enjoy!
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