Nov 16, 2009
Bode: ‘Comprehensive’ Bill Needs A RES
'Comprehensive' Bill Needs A RES
Denise Bode
CEO, American Wind Energy Association
“China will install more new wind generation capacity than any other country in the world--a position the U.S. held just last year.”
We thank Senator Graham for his courageous effort to break the partisan gridlock on energy and climate legislation, and very much hope that his work with Senators Kerry and Lieberman proves successful.
We continue to support passage of a comprehensive energy and climate bill and to urge that it include a strong renewable electricity standard (RES) that will provide the certainty businesses need to invest billions of dollars in America and create hundreds of thousands of jobs
In doing so, we note:
1) The public overwhelmingly supports clean renewable energy. This was confirmed most recently just last week with the report of a Sooner Survey conducted in the state of Oklahoma. It found that fully 91 percent of respondents "approve of the further development of wind power for producing Oklahoma's needed electricity." Furthermore, In fact, Oklahomans are so supportive of using wind power that they break against their normal antiregulation and anti-mandate sentiments: 67% favor a requirement that 20% of the nation’s electricity needs be met with wind power by the year 2025.
2) The U.S. is currently paying the price for 30 years of neglect of energy policy. This year, China will install more new wind generation capacity than any other country in the world--a position the U.S. held just last year. Other countries with strong national commitments to renewable energy are reaping the benefits in increased domestic energy production and jobs.
The global wind power industry is currently building out its factories and supply chain, and making decisions where new manufacturing facilities will be located. We have a world-class wind resource and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build the market that will bring those facilities and the jobs they create to America. Now is the time to seize that opportunity and make our nation a global leader in clean, renewable energy by passing comprehensive energy and climate legislation with a strong RES.
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