Manufactured vs. Real Crises

Last Friday, we examined Congress' current obsession with drama. Over the weekend, The Sun's Karoun Demirjian explained the befuddlement on Capitol Hill over the lack of a new and exciting manufactured crisis. So of course, instead of actually solving any real problems, the 21st Century Know Nothings in Congress are now on the hunt for a new crisis to keep them amused until another debt ceiling themed manufactured crisis kicks in.

So now, we have this.

"The whole issue of talking points, frankly throughout this process, has been a sideshow," Obama said. "What we have been very clear about throughout was that immediately after this event happened, we were not clear who exactly had carried it out, how it had occurred, what the motivations were."

The President said Republicans are fueled more by politics than unearthing the truth.

"So the whole thing defies logic and the fact that this keeps on getting churned out, frankly has a lot to do with political motivations," Obama said. "We've had folks who have challenged Hillary Clinton's integrity, Susan Rice's integrity, Mike Mullen and Tom Pickering's integrity. It's a given that mine gets challenged by these same folks. They've used it for fundraising."

G-O-TEA politicians keep digging through Benghazi records in hopes of finding dirt. They don't seem to mind their own dirty hands. They just want fresh mud to sling at President Obama.

Yet while they're digging for new manufactured crises, we have a very real crisis right here at our doorstep.

For the first time in human history, the concentration of climate-warming carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has passed the milestone level of 400 parts per million (ppm). The last time so much greenhouse gas was in the air was several million years ago, when the Arctic was ice-free, savannah spread across the Sahara desert and sea level was up to 40 metres higher than today.

These conditions are expected to return in time, with devastating consequences for civilisation, unless emissions of CO2 from the burning of coal, gas and oil are rapidly curtailed. But despite increasingly severe warnings from scientists and a major economic recession, global emissions have continued to soar unchecked.

"It is symbolic, a point to pause and think about where we have been and where we are going," said Professor Ralph Keeling, who oversees the measurements on a Hawaian volcano, which were begun by his father in 1958. "It's like turning 50: it's a wake up to what has been building up in front of us all along."

"The passing of this milestone is a significant reminder of the rapid rate at which – and the extent to which – we have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," said Prof Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which serves as science adviser to the world's governments. "At the beginning of industrialisation the concentration of CO2 was just 280ppm. We must hope that the world crossing this milestone will bring about awareness of the scientific reality of climate change and how human society should deal with the challenge."

No one can say we haven't sent out the warnings. And really, we shouldn't have to. We've known for decades that climate change is happening. And as of late, we've seen increasing evidence that it's now happening at a previously unexpected and accelerated rate.

Last summer, Senator Harry Reid (D-Searchlight) said out loud what we already knew.



Climate change is happening. It's happening at a dangerously accelerating pace. And if we take action soon, we can kick start our economy while simultaneously saving ourselves.

And while one Senator is speaking out, the other has been noticeably quiet. And remember, this is a real crisis looming.

SB 252 & The Big Picture (of the Green Economy)

Back in February, we saw lines drawn into the sand. US Senator Harry Reid (D) delivered a mean, green ultimatum to the Nevada Legislature. He demanded an end to NV Energy misusing loopholes in Nevada's renewable energy standard to buy hydroelectric power produced in Utah and use that (and occasional light bulb handouts) as "renewable energy produced".

Fast forward to April. NV Energy suddenly announced its plan to shut down the remaining coal fired power plant in Southern Nevada while investing more in renewable energy. Oh, and the plan also calls for more natural gas power plants (which has led to new questions on fracking in Nevada). NV Energy ultimately took possession of SB 123 with NVision, and the possessed bill is moving its way through the Nevada Legislature.

So whatever happened to fixing renewable energy standards? It turns out there's another bill floating in Carson City: SB 252. And believe it or not, it's moving in Carson City.

Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval has said he has a goal of making Nevada an “epicenter of renewable energy,” and Senate Bill 252 passed the Senate on a unanimous vote.

“Closing these loopholes will strengthen the law and send a powerful signal that Nevada remains committed to kicking our dependence on out-of-state fossil fuels,” Reid told legislators in a speech in February.

He said the utility should not get credit for buying hydroelectric power from Utah or “allow them to meet the portfolio standard by handing out energy-efficient light bulbs at Home Depot.” [...]

The bill would make NV Energy spend the credits it has carried over by exceeding the standard during past years. It would also do away with a multiplier effect that allows for the generating capacity of solar panels to count for 2.4 times the actual generating capacity. [...]

Finally, the bill would ratchet down over time the amount of energy efficiency measures that NV Energy can use to meet the renewable energy law.

All changes to the Renewable Portfolio Standard are aimed at spurring renewable energy construction.

SB 252 and SB 123 were originally supposed to be complementary. But now that SB 123 has become NV Energy's proposed rubber stamp energy plan, SB 252 now stands alone as an actual corrective measure to fix Nevada's renewable energy standard.

Of course, the usual "Tea Party, Inc." suspects are screaming about "REGULATIONS!!!" Never mind that even utility companies now see renewable energy standards as good for business. And for all the talk of this being "job killing regulations", solar powered jobs are growing exponentially nationwide. Ultimately, the smart money is being bet on renewable energy. So why shouldn't Nevada be smart?

Fossil fuel cheerleaders take note: Renewable energy ain’t going nowhere —and it may prove to be the better bet in the long run.

By 2030, renewables will account for 70 percent of new power supply worldwide, according to projections released today from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Bloomberg analysts examined gas prices, carbon prices, the dwindling price of green energy technology, and overall energy demand (which, in the US at least, is on a massive decline), and found solar and wind beating fossil fuels like coal and natural gas by 2030.

The chart below shows annual installations of new power sources, in gigawatts; over time, more and more of the new energy supply being built each year comes from renewable sources (like wind turbines and solar panels), by 2030 representing $630 billion worth of investment, while new fossil fuel sources (like coal- or gas-burning power plants) become increasingly rare.

The effect of this projected growth, BNEF CEO Michael Liebreich told Climate Desk at a gathering of clean energy investors today in New York, is that damage to the climate from the electricity sector is likely to taper off even as worldwide electricity use grows. “I believe we’re in a phase of change where renewables are going to take the sting out of growth in energy demand,” he said.

Signs of this transformation are already appearing: Solar power workers now outnumber coal miners nationwide, wind power was the United States’ leading source of new power in 2012, and financial analysts warn that fossil fuel investments are poised to become a very bad bet.

And then, there's the reality of climate change. Yes, believe it or not,climate change remains the serious crisis at our doorstep. We simply can't afford any more flirting with carbon emitting fossil fuels. We're seeing the consequences of this as extended drought is leading to extended wildfire season out here in The Western US.

So in examining the big picture, SB 252 is looking awfully necessary now. Isn't it?

Climate Change: It's Still Here. & We Can't Ignore It.

Something amazing happened last night. It was long overdue, yet it's been dismissed as "impossible". During last night's State of the Union Address, President Obama vowed action on climate change.

But for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change. Yes, it’s true that no single event makes a trend. But the fact is, the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods –all are now more frequent and more intense. We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science –and act before it’s too late.

Now the good news is, we can make meaningful progress on this issue while driving strong economic growth. I urge this Congress to get together, pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change, like the one John McCain and Joe Lieberman worked on together a few years ago. But if Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will. I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.

This is especially a big deal here in Nevada, where we have already begun reaping the rewards of renewable energy investment. In fact, President Obama has talked about it before right here in Nevada.



Already, we've seen the benefits of developing a greener economy. However, we've also seen the dangers of insufficient action on climate change. Without a comprehensive national action plan to reduce carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency, and invest in our green energy future, we can only expect more of the natural disasters that have already begun to wreak havoc on our state, our nation, and our planet.

Last night, President Obama asked Congress to take action. And already, at least a few on Capitol Hill are heeding his call.

Only an hour before President Obama is expected to deliver his State of the Union address—in which he might “go big” on the issue of combating climate change—two Senators announced they will introduce comprehensive climate change legislation this week, presenting a possible vehicle in the Senate for Obama’s ambitions. Senators Bernie Sanders and Barbara Boxer will outline the legislation on Thursday morning. Details are scant, though it’s being billed as “major” and “comprehensive” legislation, and will have a carbon tax, per a statement from Sanders’s office:

"Under the legislation, a fee on carbon pollution emissions would fund historic investments in energy efficiency and sustainable energy technologies such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass. The proposal also would provide rebates to consumers to offset any efforts by oil, coal or gas companies to raise prices."

So can it be done? Will Congress finally act on the greatest global security threat of our time? Will Congress finally act on the greatest economic opportunity of our time?

We'll see. On one hand, even some conservatives have embraced not just the scientific consensus on climate change, but also an ambitious carbon tax policy to solve it. As President Obama noted last night, it wasn't too long ago when one-time rival (Senator) John McCain (R-Arizona) led a bloc of Republicans working on climate solutions. And Nevada's own Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D-Mean, Green, Clean Energy Machine), has already promised to pursue climate and clean energy solutions.



It just remains to be seen what the Republicans in Nevada's Congressional Delegation are willing to do. Dean Heller (R-46%) has had a mixed record at best on climate policy so far in Congress. And already, Joe Heck (R-"TEA" Curious) is taking queues from the "tea party" on fossil fuel madness.

“If they are truly concerned about investing in energy, approve the Keystone pipeline,” Heck said, referring to a pipeline that, if permits are approved by the Obama administration, would stretch from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. “The energy part of his speech I think was just new variations on an old theme.”

Oh, yes. That's right. Heck continues to pretend that a dangerous, reckless scheme to further enrich a Canadian fossil fuel conglomerate is somehow a "serious energy solution". If anything, that would only exacerbate the climate crisis if approved. And on top of that, it likely wouldn't even produce any net job gains.

Yet again, the "tea party" is digging in its heels on climate denial and fossil fuel worship. Yet look at where that's brought us. We can't afford any more. Congress must act. This should really be a no-brainer. Will enough Republicans actually use their brains, further progress on creating green jobs, and move the nation forward on climate change?

Doom? Or Opportunity? The Choice Is Ours.

Many times this year, we've discussed the potential of renewable energy. And we've discussed the grave threat of climate change. For far too long, we only saw these two subjects in the abstract. Yet this year, we finally began seeing both in the concrete.

We've seen tremendous growth in the renewable energy sector.

More than 10,800 jobs were announced in the clean energy industry and related sectors during the third quarter, according to a report from Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), the national group of business leaders who advocate for sound economic and environmental policies.

Ten states including Nevada were the big winners during the third quarter of 2012, landing the bulk of the nation’s new clean energy jobs, according to the report.

The top 10 states ranked in the latest E2 report are California, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

Yet we've also seen quite a bit of terrible destruction this year.

Congress returns in mid-November to the fiscal cliff debate. Hurricane Sandy should put the issue of climate change squarely within this discussion. Sandy’s estimated costs are $10–$20 billion in insured losses with at least another $50 billion in economic damages. The $12 billion in government money set aside for disaster relief this year will be easily gobbled up in the recovery. Congress will be forced to seek additional money to help effected citizens. The federal price tag for the recovery from Hurricane Katrina reached $120 billion. Sandy may not reach that total, but the amount of federal money spent on the relief will be significant.

Hurricane Sandy, however, is only one piece of the climate impact puzzle. This year the country has also experienced record drought,widespread wildfires,and the worst West Nile virus outbreak ever. Munich Re put the cost of the first six months of 2012’s extreme weather events at over $14.5 billion. All of these impacts have required a federal government response. Lawmakers sought $800 million in additional funds this year to deal with wildfires and new legislation for over $300 million in drought assistance to livestock producers hit by the drought is expected soon.

But wait there is more. Sandy has shown that the country needs a crash course in preparing for and adapting to the changes and impacts that will occur in the future (read NWF’s prescription here). This is not cheap. For example, Norfolk, VA—home of Naval Station Norfolk and on the frontline of climate impacts—has a comprehensive adaptation plan that will cost about $1 billion. This is roughly twice the city’s entire annual budget and cannot be undertaken without federal dollars.

So, if we are serious about addressing the federal budget crisis, lawmakers need to look at the exploding costs of climate change impacts and how much it will take to better prepare for such events.

Last Friday, President Obama mentioned our need to "get to work" on clean energy.



Yet perhaps the most powerful voice in Washington to take on this issue has been none other than Nevada's own Harry Reid. He's always been an outspoken advocate for renewable energy development here in Nevada and nationwide. But in August, he went further in making crystal clear the threat of climate change.



And last week, Harry Reid reiterated his commitment to reaching a legislative solution on clean energy investment and limiting the future destructive power of the climate crisis.

“Climate change is an extremely important issue for me and I hope we can address it reasonably,” Reid told reporters. “It's something, as we've seen with these storms that are overwhelming our country and the world, we need to do something about it.”

Certainly, it won't be easy. With a still divided Congress, most Capitol Hill watchers are not (yet) banking on even a proper debate on implementing a climate tax. However as "The Fiscal Cliff" quickly approaches and talk on (federal) tax reform can no longer be avoided, we may actually have an unprecedented opportunity to work on implementing an actual carbon tax and taking the most significant action on climate change that we will have seen.

The stakes now are higher than ever before. We've started to get a taste of the frightening doom that lies ahead if we fail to act on climate change. However, we've also started to see real, tangible economic benefits to renewable energy investment. At this point, the choice is ours as to whether we see more doom... Or create more opportunity.

Harry Reid's Other Bold, Badass Moment

Harry Reid has been speaking up quite a bit lately. While the media are still running in circles over what he's been saying about Mitt Romney's tax records, he made even more news when talking about an issue that affects the entire planet. And yesterday, he didn't hold back.



And here's the ultimate kicker.

The seriousness of this problem is not lost on your average American. A large majority of people finally believe climate change is real, and that it is the cause of extreme weather. Yet despite having overwhelming evidence and public opinion on our side, deniers still exist, fueled and funded by dirty energy profits.

These people aren't just on the other side of this debate. They're on the other side of reality.

It's time for us all – whether we're leaders in Washington, members of the mea, scientists, academics, environmentalists or utility industry executives –to stop acting like those who ignore the crisis or deny it exists entirely have a valid point of view. They don't.

Virtually every respected, independent scientist in the world agrees the problem is real, and the time to act is now. Not tomorrow. Not a week from now. Not next month or next year. We must act today.

As Americans, we have the power to choose the kind of world in which we live. Every decision we make – large and small – matters. Some choices are as simple as turning off the light when you leave the room. Others are more ambitious -- such as committing the Department of Defense, the largest energy consumer in the world, to transition to clean, renewable energy.

But every choice has benefits -- or consequences.

And we all know he's so right about this.

We have discussed the powerful potential of clean energy that we can unleash to renew our economy and create more & better jobs. We have also discussed the frightening reality of climate change. We can no longer afford to ignore either.

Even the "Tea Party, Inc." funded climate study concluded that climate change is real, and that it's happening at a more accelerated pace than scientists had earlier expected. The scientific consensus is now even more overwhelming than ever before. July was the hottest month on record. Yes, that's right. Just last month, our planet had the hottest month on record!

So if anyone takes issue with what Harry Reid said yesterday, one is certainly not basing it on science.

This is why it's so refreshing to see Harry Reid speak out like this. Once and for all, we need to cut the "climate denial" crap and acknowledge reality. And then, we need to start taking action!

As Senator Reid said yesterday, now is the time to end our addiction to dangerous fossil fuels. The Reid-Gardner coal plant has to go, along with other fossil fuel relics that are holding us back. If we want to succeed in transitioning to a clean, green, lean, & mean economy, we need to cut the crap and take action. And if we want to survive as a human race, we need to cut the crap and take action.

Desperate Dean Heller

Surprisingly for Nevada Republicans and DC based pundits, this week hasn't been all that great for Dean Heller. For all the talk about Shelley Berkley's "SCANDAL!!!" (of saving UMC's kidney transplant program), it's really gone nowhere. Instead, Dean Heller's Koch funded BFFs abandoned their own "tea party" while Nevada Democrats continued to organize a powerful field campaign and Heller himself couldn't agree with his own campaign. For someone who's now supposed to be "the frontrunner" going into the fall, Dean Heller certainly isn't acting like one.

And in case everything mentioned above isn't bad enough, Dean Heller even floated as the Amonix Nevada solar plant shut down. Heller tried to pin the blame on Shelley Berkley for supporting efforts to bring more green jobs to Nevada, even though George W. Bush's Administration originally granted Amonix with federal funds and Nevada Republicans like Governor Brian Sandoval and North Las Vegas Mayor Shari Buck all collaborated in bringing the Amonix plant to North Las Vegas. As Desert Beacon noted yesterday, failures occasionally happen as new technology is being introduced and new ideas are coming into our economy. And despite the occasional failure, investment in renewable energy has overall produced plenty of success and the very federal grant program that Dean Heller attacked actually supported 75,000 jobs & generated $25 billion of economic activity when we most needed them (during the height of The Great Recession). So what does Dean Heller have against bipartisan efforts to bring more jobs to Nevada?

And again, for goodness sake, what does Dean Heller have against his own campaign?! He's now contradicting himself on renewable energy. He's contradicting himself on his own campaign's UMC attacks on Shelley Berkley. And Dean Heller keeps saying he's "moderate" despite his real actions revealing his true allegiance to "tea party" extremists. Really, does Dean Heller even know who he is and what he is doing?

I wonder. After all, his campaign sent this bizarre "memo" to the media begging them to talk more about the very Shelley Berkley UMC non-troversy that Dean Heller himself won't talk about! Heller's campaign has been reduced to a bizarre spectacle this week that even Jon Ralston can't figure out. Again, is this truly the behavior of a "frontrunner" who's about to vanquish his "disgraced" opponent?

I don't think so. Dean Heller is in serious trouble. I don't know if Dean Heller's campaign actually realizes it, but I sense other Republicans do. How else can one explain all these desperate radical right attempts to change the subject and talk about everything but Dean Heller's own record?

Obama & The Reminder We Got in Boulder City Today

In case you missed it, here's the video.



And here's a quick rundown of what happened.

During the 16-minute speech, the president, who ditched his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves in the desert heat, touted his "all of the above" energy plan.

Obama chided "some politicians" for not supporting renewable energy in addition to expanding domestic oil and gas production.

"These politicians need to come to Boulder City and see what I'm seeing," he said.

The president also made reference to the nearby Hoover Dam, which he called a testament to "the notion that we can do anything."

Honestly, it was encouraging to hear President Obama defend something that should be a "no-brainer". It's just saddening that common sense has become "controversial" for many media pundits. Here's probably the key takeaway from Obama's speech in Boulder City today.

Some of these folks want to dismiss the promise of solar power and wind power and fuel-efficient cars. In fact, they make jokes about it. One member of Congress who shall remain unnamed called these jobs "phony" – called them phony jobs. I mean, think about that mindset, that attitude that says because something is new, it must not be real. If these guys were around when Columbus set sail, they’d be charter members of the Flat Earth Society. We were just talking about this – that a lack of imagination, a belief that you can’t do something in a new way – that’s not how we operate here in America. That’s not who we are. That’s not what we’re about.

These politicians need to come to Boulder City and see what I’m seeing. They should talk to the people who are involved in this industry, who have benefited from the jobs, who benefit from ancillary businesses that are related to what’s going on right here. [...]

And each successive generation recognizes that some technologies are going to work, some won’t; some companies will fail, some companies will succeed. Not every auto company succeeded in the early days of the auto industry. Not every airplane manufacturer succeeded in the early days of the aviation. But we understood as Americans that if we keep on this track, and we’re at the cutting edge, then that ultimately will make our economy stronger and it will make the United States stronger. It will create jobs. It will create businesses. It will create opportunities for middle-class Americans and folks who want to get into the middle class. That's who we are. That's what we’re about. [...]

One of the main reasons I ran for this office is I didn't think that our leaders were doing enough to tackle the big challenges, the hard challenges, to seize the big opportunities. And energy is one of the best examples. We have been talking about changing our energy policies for 30 years now. When I was the age of these guys right here, when I was 10, 11, right, in the ‘70s, and my grandparents were complaining about long gas lines, we were talking about how we were going to do things differently. Thirty, 40 years, and we keep on doing the same stuff. We keep on punting. We keep on putting it off. For decades, Washington kept kicking the can down the road.

I don't want to do that anymore. I want to make sure when these guys are grown up that they're seeing solar panels all across the country. They're seeing American-made energy and American-made power. They're benefiting from a cleaner environment. They're seeing jobs and opportunity – that’s what I want to see.

While I was a little disappointed that President Obama didn't just say it today, it seems like he wanted to drop a hint about the kind of dangerous extremism we see in the G-O-TEA today. Come on, Mitt Romney is now repeating Rush Limbaugh verbatim!



And Mitt Romney has flip-flopped from acknowledging the reality of climate change to denying that reality and encouraging crazy radical right conspiracy theories.

No wonder why Mittens is now being called "The Etch-A-Sketch Candidate"!

Even conservatives at the Cato Institute and The Wall Street Journal have admitted that Mittens' "Drill, Baby, Drill!!!" plan would only fatten oil company profits while doing nothing to help consumers reeling from high gas prices if enacted. And even Fox News' poll revealed that most Americans are smart enough to realize that President Obama isn't trying to force high gas prices on anyone. And since even some Republican consultants have admitted that gas prices alone can't sway an election, the G-O-TEA candidates are now being reduced to peddling ridiculous, radical fringe conspiracy theories.

Again, here are the facts. Just last year, Mitt Romney himself admitted that America needs to take on climate change. And just this week, much of America has been experiencing incredibly warm, summer-like weather just as winter was officially ending. And just yesterday, Forbes posted an article noting big investors' growing profits from renewable energy projects! Oh yes, "the free market" is now determining that renewable energy sources like solar are now "bankable".

So this is the stark contrast that President Obama reminded us of yet again today, right here in Southern Nevada. Do we want to invest in our future? Or do we want to fall back to the dirty, inefficient ways of the past?

Look to the Sun.

This is where President Obama is going today.

Boulder City’s Copper Mountain Solar 1 facility is the first of four energy backdrops Obama’s selected to highlight his administration’s multifaceted approach to energy development as he moves across the country. It is also the only solar facility on the short list, which includes tours of oil- and gas-drilling rigs in New Mexico, research and development facilities in Ohio, and a pipe storage yard in Oklahoma — where Obama plans to announce the construction of an oil pipeline to the Gulf of Mexico.

There are no similar project or policy announcements scheduled for the president’s turn through Boulder City; for Obama, the Nevada leg of the trip is about highlighting and defending a longstanding renewable energy policy he believes has been productive.

Copper Mountain Solar 1 is no ordinary photovoltaic power plant, even for Nevada, which ranks third in the nation for utility-scale solar projects. The nation’s biggest solar energy generator (the plant has a 58 MW production capacity), which was financed in part with $40 million worth of federal investment tax credits — “part of a set of tax incentives supported by the Obama administration that are helping move private investors off the sidelines,” the White House notes — was recognized by various industry rankings as the No. 1 plant in the nation following its completion in 2010.

The plant has also been roundly praised by Nevada political officials of all party stripes: Last year, Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval said Copper Mountain “exemplifies my goal of making Nevada the renewable energy capital of the country.”

This is a massive facility. It can generate up to 58 megawatts of clean power. It's already helping Boulder City in filling up city coffers. Oh, and this is largely thanks to investment in promoting renewable energy as a smart climate solution.

This all began next door, when California enacted AB 32, The Global Warming Solutions Act, in 2006. Because AB 32 requires power companies to receive more electric power from renewable sources, they've been investing more in renewable energy. In fact, San Diego based Sempra Energy and San Francisco based PG&E invested in the Copper Mountain facility to comply with AB 32, send more power to the Bay Area, and ultimately make money in doing that.

And we're supposed to believe that investing in green technology is bad?

Of course, the other force behind Copper Mountain was President Obama's plan to use the Recovery Act to kick-start investment in green energy. And already, this effort is paying dividends.

The U.S. solar power industry is one of the great success stories of President Barack Obama and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu’s Recovery Act focus on the clean-energy economy. Following the kickstart of funding from the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program, U.S. solar developers are now “luring cash at record rates from investors ranging from Warren Buffett to Google Inc. and KKR & Co. by offering returns on projects four times those available for Treasury securities,” Bloomberg reports. “Once so risky that only government backing could draw private capital, solar projects now are making returns of about 15 percent, according to Stanford University’s center for energy policy and finance”:

“After tax, you’re looking at returns in the 10 percent to 15 percent range” for solar projects, said Dan Reicher, executive director of Stanford University’s center for energy policy and finance in California. “The beauty of solar is once you make the capital investment, you’ve got free fuel and very low operating costs.”

“A solar power project with a long-term sales agreement could be viewed as a machine that generates revenue,” Marty Klepper, an attorney at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, which helped arrange a solar deal for Buffett, told Bloomberg. “It’s an attractive investment for any firm, not just those in energy.”

Copper Mountain was partly financed by $40 million worth of federal tax credits offered to support development of renewable energy projects. And so far, it looks like even a number of REPUBLICANS, such as Governor Brian Sandoval and members of the Boulder City Council, are happy with the results of this investment. And Senator Harry Reid doesn't sound so "crazy", after all. He released this report last week detailing the economic benefits Nevada will reap from investing in renewable energy. And so far, the success at Copper Mountain is proving Harry Reid right.

That progress is evident in every corner of our state, from Primm to Tonopah and from Ely to Boulder City, where the construction of wind and solar projects are underway, and energy efficiency projects are saving consumers and taxpayer money. Taken together, these projects and others underway will contribute more than $1 billion in financial benefits and more than 2,200 jobs to Nevada.

These successes did not happen overnight and they did not happen by accident. If Nevada is serious about continuing to compete in the growing clean energy sector, then our state must play to win. This starts with having a coherent strategy to attract new industries, to forge regional and national alliances, to create markets for our products and renewable power, and to develop our human resources and capacity for innovation.

The opponents of renewable energy will continue trying to derail Nevada’s and the nation’s efforts to build a cleaner and safer energy future. Therefore, I encourage every Nevadan to visit www.reid.senate.gov/cleanenergy to examine how a number of important federal and state actions have helped Nevada start to real­ize its clean energy potential. You will also find ideas there on how to make sure that future actions to grow Nevada’s clean energy economy are as effective as possible and promote rapid investment in Nevada.

Despite the improving economy, the recent economic hardships should remind us that we must do more to broaden Nevada’s economy so that we are better positioned to grow and succeed in the coming decades. Nevada’s work to take advantage of its renewable energy resources does not come without risk, but we cannot turn away from clean energy and miss our opportunity to strengthen Nevada’s future with a victory in clean energy.

Investors are now rushing to bet on renewable energy. The global solar market continues to grow, and America is finally catching up with the other big world players in renewable energy. Progress is being made, so why would we want to roll the clock back?

Sadly enough, that's what the G-O-TEA wants. Reality TV staple Donald Trump thinks "windmills are disgusting". "Tea Party" high priest of "austerity" Paul Ryan wants to slash investment in green jobs and the green economy while handing out more taxpayer funded bailouts to the fossil fuel industry. And Mitt Romney continues to flip-flop on climate change and green energy as he now wants us to "Drill, Baby, Drill!!!" to a dirty future of climate denial and increased economic hardship.

This is why I asked last Friday where Dean Heller really stands on climate change and renewable energy investment. Does he with President Obama and the strong majority of Nevadans across the political spectrum who want to see more investment, more projects like Copper Mountain Solar in Boulder City, and a sounder Nevada economy? Or will he stick with his G-O-TEA buddies in Washington who want to continue sticking their heads in the sand and deny the obvious?

Both Heller and Joe Heck are supposed to represent Boulder City. Will they support further investment in photovoltaic power plants there? Boulder City seems to like what's happening. Or will they continue to vote to subsidize the fossil fuel industry while shirking their responsibility to truly represent Nevada's working families and fight for more green collar jobs here in Nevada?

If we want a brighter future, all we have to do is look to the sun. It should really be that simple.

Can Reno Be "The Next Silicon Valley"? (& Can Las Vegas?)

Yesterday, KRNV News 4 asked.

“The number one choice of why we're in Northern Nevada is quality of life,” says co-founder of Noble Studios, Season Lopiccolo.

For the diverse group of tech-savvy professionals at Noble Studios, Reno has something for everyone.

“Some snowboard, some like to dress up and pretend to be someone else, we have musicians, people with their own bands, all different walks of life,” says Lopiccolo.

Downtown Reno is in the midst of an image makeover, shifting from a place known for its bright lights and casinos to a world-renowned high tech hub.
And the supportive and entrepreneurial friendly environment within the biggest little city is making a big difference.

“One of the main reasons why we moved to Northern Nevada is that a handshake means something here,” says Lopiccolo.

I'll do my best to answer.

Is it possible? Sure. Is it probable? Perhaps when we get serious about investing in public infrastructure.

But then again, at least Reno has public infrastructure. Las Vegas doesn't have much of any left, so it's much more difficult to work on diversifying Southern Nevada's economy. Tony Hsieh is trying to do the same thing in Downtown Las Vegas. But if no one could even step up to save the Nevada Cancer Institute (which was ultimately gobbled up by a CALIFORNIA college), how can we really grow our own tech sector? As long as we fail to properly invest in our future, our economy will continue to suck.

At least Northern Nevada has UNR...



And to their credit, folks at UNR have been doing a great job in partnering with the greater communities around the Reno-Carson metropolitan area to work on economic diversification. This at least partially explains why Northern Nevada's economy hasn't been as devastated by continuing weakness in the gaming & tourism sector as Southern Nevada was when "The Great Recession" first hit.

However, the same set of data also shows that continuing gaming weakness IS harming economic recovery up north. Not even Reno is immune from it. And as we continue to see expansion of tribal casinos in California and online gaming worldwide, Northern Nevada will need to continue working on diversification to build a brighter future that isn't just based on fickle gamblers.

And again, we in Southern Nevada can't depend on fickle gamblers for our future, either. We also have to face the reality staring us down as Macau continues to grow, online gaming goes live, and new casino projects are being proposed everywhere from South Florida to Baja California (Mexico). While gaming will likely always be in our blood, there's no reason why we shouldn't look beyond physical casinos to start attracting new gaming technology companies, online gaming innovators, as well as infrastructure support and consulting services.

But as long as our schools suck and as long as the rest of our public infrastructure continues to lag, Southern Nevada will continue to suffer our addiction to the extreme highs and extreme lows of "the bubble based economy". I'm sure I sound like a broken record sometimes, but I nonetheless feel the need to continue talking about this until we finally see some real action and real solutions. We really do have the potential to bring more high tech jobs into this state, especially in sectors like gaming and renewable energy where we have natural strength, but we'll never realize that potential if we don't invest in our "human capital".

Reno is already seeing some success in bringing in new high tech jobs. They just need to finish the job in diversifying the economy up there. And Las Vegas still has plenty of catching up to do in that department. And ultimately, both ends of the state need more investment in public education to ultimately be successful.

Does Dean Heller Now Agree with President Obama on Investing in Our Future?

In January, President Obama came to town to talk about "transitional fuels" like natural gas. Next Wednesday, he'll be back to discuss renewables. Specifically, the President will stop in Boulder City to visit the nation's largest photovoltaic power plant.

So far, it looks like he'll be repeating what he said earlier this week.



And really, is President Obama wrong? Come on, is he wrong?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Faced with global warming facts on the Rachel Maddow show last night, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) countered, “It’s not true.” Maddow asked him to react to the 97 percent of scientists who agree that global warming is real. [...]

As a prominent climate denier and Big Oil favorite, Inhofe’s ignored the scientific evidence throughout the interview. But he’s not known for relying on scientific research — recently, he quoted the Bible as proof.

One of his points was that environmentalists aren’t “winning” despite outspending the energy industry 2-1. But environmentalists are the ones vastly outspent by dirty energy, 8 to 1 in lobbying and contributions during the climate bill debate. Inhofe’s evidence was a discredited Climate Shift report where even the leading expert on the report withdrew his name.

During the interview, Inhofe denied Big Oil’s mere existence, saying “because we hear things about big oil but what you hear is not all that big of oil.” Inhofe said the $4 billion in tax breaks to oil doesn’t count as a subsidy, even though he admitted the industry is “actually doing really well right now.” The top five oil companies alone made $137 billion in profits, while spending $146 million lobbying Congress to maintain those same tax breaks.

Is he serious? No wonder why Dean Heller is running away from James Inhofe and his fellow G-O-TEA extremists. He's now trying to recast himself in a "greener" light despite voting in a way that makes Inhofe proud.

So will Dean Heller be joining President Obama in Boulder City to tout Nevada's bright renewable energy future? Will he rebuke fellow Republican Mark Amodei's past misstatements of the costs of renewable energy (versus all our subsidizing of the fossil fuel industry)? Does he now realize the potential to put Nevada's economy on a healthier footing?



It would be nice to see Heller join President Obama, Senator Harry Reid, and even Republicans like Governor Brian Sandoval in recognizing the sound science behind climate change and the sound economics of investment in renewable energy. Earlier this week, Senator Reid released a report detailing how Nevada benefits from investment in clean energy.

“There are more renewable energy projects under construction today than at any other time in Nevada’s history. That’s a major accomplishment,” said Reid. “The clean energy projects underway in Nevada did not happen by accident and they did not happen overnight and we must continue to ensure that Nevada real­izes its clean energy potential. This means fostering more private-public partnerships and improving government and private sector coordination and not eliminating critical job-creating tax credits.”

“Federal and State policies are especially important in Nevada because unlike some states, Nevada has no coal or natural gas to develop,” said Lydia Ball, Executive Director of the Clean Energy Project. “And the federal incentives for those fuels, some of which have been around fro nearly a century, do little to help our state develop our resources and power our economy.”

The projects highlighted in the report are predicted to create more than 2,200 jobs and add more than $1 billion to Nevada’s economy. The case studies and timeline presented demonstrate the critical role that important federal actions and state policies have played in the development of Nevada’s clean energy economy, which helped make that economic growth possible.

The renewable energy sector averaged 5.8% annual growth from 2003 to 2010 and brought jobs into this state that pay $8,000 more in salary than the median wage for other jobs in Nevada. And there's potential for even more growth and more jobs if we just invest in our future. President Obama and Senator Reid are clearly interested in investing in our future. Is Dean Heller ready to ditch his G-O-TEA buddies, including Mitt Romney and his ridiculous, gassy promises that even the conservative Cato Institute and Wall Street Journal have stated are ineffective, and join all the rest of us in the 21st century?

Dean Heller Can Run "Green", But Can He Hide from His Own Dirty Record?

So now Dean Heller is claiming "independence" on energy policy.

With the economy as the leading issue in every campaign, Heller and other Republicans who back federal support for renewables have so far couched it as an important part of recovery efforts.

“Renewable-energy development could lead to thousands of new jobs in Nevada at a time when the state leads the nation in unemployment,” Heller campaign spokeswoman Chandler Smith told Politico.

That’s a tack voters will respond to and reward, said Rocky Fernandez, the communications director at the Clean Energy Project, a statewide advocacy group.

“The candidates who want to do things and step up and make these industries thrive in Nevada, they’re the ones who are going to be successful in these upcoming elections,” Fernandez said. “If we don’t do it, other states are going to take it and we’ll have missed a huge opportunity.”

However, not everyone is buying it.

“Voters aren’t buying appointed Sen. Dean Heller’s election year scramble to paper over his pro-Big Oil, abysmal record on renewable-energy jobs,” Berkley campaign spokesman Eric Koch said. “Instead of making clean-energy job creation in Nevada a priority, Heller has spent his Washington career voting to protect taxpayer giveaways to Big Oil companies already making record profits.”

Berkley’s campaign has a stockpile of ammo countering Heller’s claim to be a leader in clean energy, from votes in Congress against certain renewable-energy and energy-efficiency measures to a 2008 letter questioning the cost-effectiveness of alternative sources of energy.

But hey, don't just buy what Shelley Berkley's campaign is saying. Take a look at Desert Beacon's scoreboard of actual House votes taken.

For example, Heller had two shots at voting in favor of H.R. 6 (the Energy Act) in 2007, and voted “nay” both times. He also voted against H.R. 2776 and H.R. 3221, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act. Representative Berkley voted in favor of these bills. He voted against H.R. 5351 (Energy Law Amendments) on February 27, 2008, and against H.R. 6049 (Alternative Energy Tax Incentives) on May 21, 2008. Representative Berkley voted in favor of these measures.

On July 23, 2008 he did vote “yes” on H.R. 3221 (Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions) and then voted “no” on H.R. 7060 (Renewable Energy Credits & other business and individual credits) on September 26, 2008. Congresswoman Berkley voted in favor of H.R. 7060. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1) which contained green energy and energy conservation programs got no support from then-Representative Heller in 2009. Nor did Representative Heller support the “Cash for Clunkers” bill to incentivize consumers to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles (H.R. 2751) on June 9, 2009.

On September 16, 2010, Heller voted against H.R. 4785 which would have authorized loans for energy efficiency purposes. Representative Berkley voted in favor of H.R. 4785.

Given this voting record it is difficult to place Senator Heller among the choir of voices calling for energy conservation, energy technology, and alternative energy source development.

You see, Dean Heller's actual record not as "green" as he wants us to believe. Rather, he and his BFFs in the fossil fuel industry are "green-washing" his record. In fact, Heller has voted consistently for taxpayer funded bailouts for Big Oil while rejecting investment in renewable energy jobs that can help Nevada's economy while also helping our nation conquer the climate crisis. Dean Heller may tell one story to the media, but his actual record tells an entirely different story.

Sure, Heller is now trying to distance himself from the national G-O-TEA leadership. He has to. His BFF Willard "Mr. 1%" Romney is sounding increasingly insane and delusional when he bashes clean energy, along with Romney's BFF Rush Limbaugh. Heller realizes that the Romney-Limbaugh-"Tea Party" agenda of funneling more taxpayer dollars at the fossil fuel industry while passing up clean energy opportunities just doesn't fly here in Nevada.

But as much as Dean Heller tries to run from his own record, he can't really hide. It's still there for all of us to see. And his long time G-O-TEA buddies on Capitol Hill are making sure that we don't forget who Heller & Co. really serve. Nevadans aren't about to be fooled by a quick "green-washing".

Investing in Our Future Should Be a No-Brainer.

When we hear the G-O-TEA Presidential contenders, we often hear them spewing crap like this.

Climate change denial has become a litmus test for modern Republicans, but Rick Santorum, in his fondness for melding faith and government, has become one of the precious few to cite the Bible as evidence that the science-accepting crowd has it all wrong — and apparently the first to bring that thinking to the presidential stage.

“We were put on this Earth as creatures of God to have dominion over the Earth, to use it wisely and steward it wisely, but for our benefit not for the Earth’s benefit,” Santorum told a Colorado crowd earlier this month.

He went on to call climate change “an absolute travesty of scientific research that was motivated by those who, in my opinion, saw this as an opportunity to create a panic and a crisis for government to be able to step in and even more greatly control your life.”

The surging presidential hopeful fleshed out this argument further this Sunday on CBS Face The Nation, when asked to justify his recent controversial claim that President Obama has a “phony theology” that’s not “based on the Bible.” He said the President sides with “radical environmentalists” who don’t understand what God intended to be the relationship between humans and the planet.

“When you have a worldview that elevates the Earth above man and says that we can’t take those resources because we’re going to harm the Earth; by things that frankly are just not scientifically proven, for example, the politicization of the whole global warming debate — this is all an attempt to, you know, to centralize power and to give more power to the government,” Santorum said.

Wow. So "Frothy" Ricky Santorum is basing all his extremist policies on his extreme theology. Isn't that precious?

Well, at least Willard "Mr. 1%" Romney is basing all his extremist policies on something more commonly seen in politics today: MONEY. That seems to be why Romney is so strongly opposed to the fastest growing industry in America.

The U.S. solar industry grew 102% [in 2010] and [was] on track to grow another 100% [in 2011]. What other industry doubled its growth during one of the worst economic periods in our history?

The GOP has been using the Solyndra debacle to talk about “pet alternative energy.” This nonsense ignores the incredible growth and cost reductions taking place in the solar industry. Since 2008, average PV [photovoltaic] prices have fallen 80%. And with innovative approaches to installation, the total installed cost of installations have fallen substantially as well.

A recent report found that America actually had a $1.9 billion trade surplus of solar products to the rest of the world in 2010. And that same report, put together by GTM Research, found that 73% of the economic value of a solar installation stays in the U.S.

And our next door neighbor is seeing a phenomenal amount of investment in green technology.

When it comes to U.S. venture capital funding for the most promising new green technology firms, there's California and there's everybody else.

California companies raked in $2.8 billion, or 57%, of the $4.9 billion in venture capital offered up in the so-called clean-tech category of funding nationwide last year, according to a recently released analysis from Ernst & Young. [...]

"It's a good indicator of the innovation that can be found here and of the opportunities available in California," said Mark Sogomian, an Ernst & Young partner and leader of its clean-tech group in Los Angeles.

California has that "secret sauce that allows companies to grow and develop and gain capital," Sogomian said. [...]

"Clean-tech is still in the early stages of a long-term journey," Spencer said. "We've reached a point where new products and services are ready to be launched, and as these products come to market, we're seeing renewed interest, innovation and opportunity."

And we've seen for ourselves the potential for green tech to create jobs and restore our economy. Just look at all the potential we have!

It's just too bad that petty politics continues to get in the way of true progress. If Ricky Santorum really doesn't believe in climate change, then he needs to talk to folks in Reno who have experienced its extreme effects firsthand. And he needs to talk to water officials both in Snake Valley and in Las Vegas over the rural Nevada and Utah water they're fighting over (due to the ongoing region-wide Southwestern Drought). We're already seeing the extreme effects of climate change take hold in Nevada.

However, we're also starting to see the effects of action to curb climate change. When we've seen investment in clean energy, we've seen jobs being created. Investment in green technology is truly a "win-win" for Nevada, and for America. And for the likes of Romney and Santorum (and the Nevada politicians who follow them) to oppose something that's such a clear "win-win" for America is downright stupid.

Obama's Back in Vegas

So the President is here. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman (I) greeted him at McCarran Airport last night. And despite her husband not always giving President Obama a warm welcome, she obviously displayed far better manners than Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R-WTF??!!).

Goodman briefly discussed housing with Obama last night after HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan came to town to discuss new relief efforts for distressed homeowners that the President announced in his State of the Union Address on Tuesday. Apparently, more details will be coming soon... And local officials can hardly wait for that.

Later today, President Obama will be pivoting to matters of energy security and efficiency when he visits UPS' Las Vegas hub near McCarran this afternoon.

The president’s energy plan, which he introduced in Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, has three core components: the safe and responsible development of oil and gas, the creation of clean-energy jobs in the U.S., and increasing energy efficiency, with a special focus on the industrial sector.

That begins at the UPS facility in Las Vegas. The company, in cooperation with local governments and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, won a $5.6 million cost-share investment through the stimulus bill to purchase a fleet of trucks that could run on liquefied natural gas (LNG is a cleaner-burning fuel than regular gas or diesel) and construct a publicly accessible LNG refueling station — the first of its kind in the country.

The natural gas-fueled corridor allows UPS to move merchandise through more energy-efficient engines from Long Beach, Calif., to Salt Lake City, according to senior White House advisers.

It’s a model the president wants to replicate in other areas of the country as well, primarily by upping the incentives to get the country’s transport vehicles off gasoline.

Natural gas has become a focus of this administration, as well as lawmakers and energy advocates of all political stripes, not only because it burns about 30 percent cleaner than petroleum products, but also because it’s far more plentiful than oil in the United States. And, it’s cheaper.

The president aims to begin raising consumption of natural gas by encouraging companies to invest in trucks that run on natural gas with a tax credit, equivalent to about 50 percent of the cost difference between trucks that have engines that run on natural gas versus the standard diesel engine. Implementing such tax credits, senior White House advisers admitted, would require an act of Congress.

As we discussed on Tuesday, natural gas offers opportunities for cheaper, cleaner, and more domestically sourced fuel. Again, natural gas isn't without its own set of problems. But considering its availability and it not being as dirty as traditional oil or coal, it can be useful as a "transition tool" while we're still finding more ways to use renewables.

And of course, there's the possibility of more job creation out of this. And along with housing, jobs is the other big issue Nevadans want to hear about. We'll have to see how Obama threads it all together in his speech this afternoon.

Why Aren't We on This?

This morning, The Sun published a poignant editorial on what happened today (70 years ago) and why it still matters.

As we look back and remember Pearl Harbor and honor the sacrifices of those who died, were wounded and fought on that day — as well as those who fought in World War II — we can’t forget the sacrifices of the entire nation.

After Pearl Harbor, the country staged a unified and prolonged war effort. Everyone sacrificed. Food, fuel and goods were rationed to support the war. People planted “victory gardens” to increase the food supply.

Such an effort hasn’t been matched, and it arguably hasn’t been needed, since then. But what’s noticeably absent today is any larger sense of sacrifice.

A decade ago, the 9/11 attacks seared current generations of Americans, rallying the nation together. Like Pearl Harbor, America embarked on a war. Although it is a very different type of war — it blurs national lines and runs along ideology — it is arguably far more dangerous because there aren’t clear battle lines, nor are there clearly defined enemies.

However, Americans have far less direct involvement in the war effort than they did during World War II. In World War II, there was a military draft. Today, the military is an all-volunteer force, and only a tiny percentage of Americans have actually fought overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan, much less been in the service.

And the sacrifices of scrimping and saving to pay for the war effort? Americans haven’t been asked to sacrifice this time. Instead, the war on terrorism has been added to the nation’s debt.

Unfortunately, this rings very true today. After 9/11, we were just told to go shopping. And when the Iraq War began, Americans were told to be "patriotic" by slapping yellow ribbon magnets on the backs of their SUVs (and remember not to say anything derogatory about George W. Bush... Or else...).

But today, we have an opportunity to invest in a brighter future. And this time, all we have to sacrifice are pollution and an addiction to a certain black substance we import from abroad. And believe it or not, Warren Buffett is ready to take action on it!

Warren Buffett’s MidAmerican Energy Holdings company has agreed to buy a giant, 550-megawatt photovoltaic farm currently under construction in San Luis Obispo County for $2 billion, giving a huge boost to the solar industry that could spur investment by other major players.

The "utility-scale" facility MidAmerican is purchasing is being built by First Solar Inc. of Tempe, Ariz. A spokesman for First Solar, Alan Bernheimer, said the farm would produce enough power to provide for the energy needs of 160,000 California homes. But the investment had deeper meaning for an industry that still has only a small footprint in the nation's energy mix and has been battered by recent bankruptcies.

"In a lot of ways, this is classic Warren Buffett," said Bruce Bullock, executive director of the Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University. "He comes in to an industry that is starving for capital investment. At the same time, this is something that also tells people it's time to take solar power seriously."

Solar power currently provides just 1% of the nation's renewable power generation, according to the Energy Department. But it is also the nation's fastest-growing energy generation platform, said Michelle Kinman, a clean-energy advocate for Environment California.

"Solar is a sound investment," Kinman said, "a fact bolstered by MidAmerican's announcement today."

Before Buffett's big announcement, global investment in renewable energy already surpassed $1 trillion. And now that Buffett is in, that number only stands to increase. Yet as many in the private sector realize the fortune to be made in the green economy, we see continued inaction in the public arena.

Why?

Remember when this ad was on the air?



Now, Newt Gingrich tries to act like it didn't happen. And Jon Huntsman keeps flipping on his climate flop. All of a sudden, climate science has become total "taboo".

And as the G-O-TEA continues its war on science, our country continues to fall behind in the race for a greener future. Republicans in Congress are fighting renewable energy tax credits and overall investment in clean technology. Even as millions of Americans are still looking for work, the G-O-TEA is out to kill more jobs and further hurt our economy.



We know the problem. And we know the solutions we need to implement. And we know that the solutions won't just help us escape the climate crisis, but also help us kick our addiction to the fossil fuels swirling at the center of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, as well as many more of our foreign policy challenges.

Just as "The Greatest Generation" had unique challenges to rise above with The Great Depression and World War II, we have our challenges to face with the current global economy and the worsening climate crisis. We need to take action, and do so soon. Are we up for it?

The Future's Still Waiting for Us

This week, the City of Henderson is hosting the Global Solar Summit. Why?

Bob Cooper, the city’s economic development manager, said the conference, the first of its kind in Nevada, is dedicated to getting leading companies in solar energy development to think of the valley as a frontier for the solar economy. He said currently there are no solar panel makers in the valley but that there is a potential for jobs in manufacturing and construction.

“We’re looking to help local businesses to secure new contracts and start initial conversations with panel manufacturers,” Cooper said.

Why, again?

Johnathan Pickering, president of JA Solar, the largest solar cell supplier in the world, said the combination of a growing solar industry and the steep decline in the price of a solar panel makes it an optimal time to invest in solar energy. Las Vegas, he said, gets twice the amount of sun hours as Germany, which is the center of solar energy production in Europe.

He extended an open invitation to Nevada.

“We’re open for business and we want to partner with you,” Pickering said.

Why, again?







Oh yes, that's why.

There are good jobs and a more stable economy awaiting us. Instead of wasting even more money on bailouts for dirty energy, we can invest in our future by investing in renewable energy and the green economy. Renewable resources like solar are increasingly in demand, and the Obama Administration just opened another 285,000 acres of public land for solar development. So what are we waiting for?

Really, why are we waiting? The future won't wait for us forever.

GOP & Green: Hypocrisy Inaction Yet Again

As usual, the "TEA Party" rushes to demagoguery when it sees a salacious "SCANDAL!!!" on the horizon. Congressional Republicans then jump to hound on that issue... And then someone in the media does one's job and finds contradictions. We're seeing this at play yet again.

Case in point: Republicans praising the very "green jobs" programs they now claim is "fraud".

The GOP-led House Oversight Committee may be accusing the White House of a "job killing" green energy agenda in a hearing Thursday -- but at least ten Republicans on the panel have signed letters seeking to land green energy jobs in their districts.

In dozens of letters obtained by The Huffington Post, the lawmakers, led by Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), argue convincingly about Department of Energy funding going to their favored projects, often touting the job-creating potential of numerous endeavors.

The issue erupted earlier this month when reports broke that the bankrupt solar manufacturer Solyndra, which got $535 million in loan guarantees from the stimulus bill, was raided by the FBI.

Although the guaranteed loan project began under the Bush administration, many Republicans were quick to hammer the deal as evidence of "cronyism" -- and proof that Obama's key green jobs effort was a huge bust.

As it turns out, many of the committee members set to grill Obama administration officials Thursday were plenty eager to help constituents cash in on the efforts.

And who's been the biggest cheerleader for green energy in his own turf? Why, Republican Darrell Issa, of course!

Issa goes farther than just asking for support for a local company — he also generally endorses the concept of using Federal money to facilitate the shift away from fossil fuels and gas-powered vehicles, towards renewal energy sources. Issa even endorses the idea that this is a good way to create jobs — a position that puts him at odds with many Republicans.

And he has the nerve to hold a hearing on "How Obama’s Green Energy Agenda is Killing Jobs" today? Oh, yes. It's "killing jobs" so much that Issa keeps asking the feds for more money for it!

Steve Benen really hit the nail on the head this morning.

In their zeal to exploit the Solyndra “controversy,” House Republicans have planned a high-profile hearing today on the Obama administration’s clean-energy agenda. But the lingering hypocrisy issue is a hurdle the GOP doesn’t know how to clear.

In the wake of Solyndra’s bankruptcy, Republicans want to make a larger indictment against clean-energy programs in general. This, however, looks pretty foolish when the same Republicans complaining about the Department of Energy’s loan-guarantees program for clean tech have also fought for funding from the same program for companies in their own states and districts. [...]

A spokesperson for the committee’s Democrats told [Huffington Post reporter Michael] McAuliff, “The Republicans actually don’t seem to understand their hypocrisy. They trash the entire clean energy program after writing glowing letters to commend it. The truth is the program works, which is why they want the money for their districts.”

To me, the problem isn’t just that congressional Republicans kept seeking loans from a DOE program they believe shouldn’t exist. The more glaring issue is that these same GOP policymakers insisted, in writing, that clean-tech loan guarantees would help create jobs. And yet, today, the same Republicans are pointing to the same loan program as being part of a “job-killing” agenda.

Are these Congressional Republicans really that tone-deaf? Are we now supposed to believe them when they say "green jobs is a hoax" after these very members went to the Obama Administration with their hands wide open in asking for green energy funding?

We've talked about this extensively before. We have so much opportunity in renewable energy development right here in Nevada, and really the entire country will benefit from kicking our fossil fuel addiction and investing in the infrastructure of the future. And obviously, even many Republicans quietly recognize this as they keep asking for more money for it!

So why are they now telling the public it's so bad? Simple. They're trying to score cheap political points against President Obama. And they're desperately trying to please their masters in the fossil fuel industry who are desperately clinging to their heavily subsidized dirty energy.

Yet again, we're seeing dirty politics get in the way of good, clean policy.