Sustainable IT | Ted Samson » Congress misses chance to seed essential green-energy growth

December 18, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Congress misses chance to seed essential green-energy growth

TAGS: Alternative energy

A few days have passed since the U.S. Senate passed a modified version of the energy bill that passed through the House of Represenatives. One of the most notable changes, as summarized by CNN: "a broad tax package that they had designed to pay for incentives aimed at spurring the development of wind, solar and alternative fuels such as cellulosic ethanol, as well as energy efficiency and conservation programs."

The changed bill that passed through the Senate hasn't sat well with representatives of the alternative-energy industry, which shouldn't come as a surprise. Brian F.Keane, president of SmartPower -- a national, non-profit marketing organization dedicated to promoting clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency -- had this to say:

"The U.S. Senate's Energy Bill does not answer the American public's demand for clean and renewable energy sources, but it does cater to the needs to the Big Oil industry. This legislation proves that there is a strong need for a voluntary marketplace for clean energy. While leadership on this issue may be lacking in Washington, the states, municipalities, corporations, and individuals have all shown strong leadership by creating a vibrant, voluntary market for clean energy."

There was no lack of effort from members of the business world to see government seed the burgeoning alternative-energy market. Earlier this year, TechNet, a political network of CEOs, called on Congress and the president to invest more seed money in sustainable-energy initiatives and offer greater tax incentives to go green.

But as observed by Keane, many organizations -- including HP, Google, and Rackspace -- have recognized the benefits of investing in cleaner energy sources, such as wind, solar, and natural gas. Notably, though, at least some of these investments have been spurred by incentive programs offered by utility companies.

From my perspective, it's certainly heartening to see consumers and companies alike continuing to recognize the economic and environmentaly benefits of alternative energy and embracing it accordingly. But it's essential for our nation's leaders to set aside their political differences and recognize those benefits -- and to invest in cleaner, more reliable fuel to power our nation.

Related links:
Akeena Solar CEO weighs in on energy bill
CEOs urge feds for green-tech funding, support
HP harnesses solar, wind power
Google to invest millions in seeding green energy
Alternative-power datacenter part of Rackspace green initiative
Google basks in $4.5 million solar-energy incentives
Green can be blue and red

Ted Samson is a senior analyst at InfoWorld and writer of the Sustainable IT blog. Subscribe to his free weekly Green Tech newsletter.

Posted by Ted Samson on December 18, 2007 01:57 PM

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