This Tuesday Barack Obama will inaugurate what will be the nation’s largest solar plant. The 25MW Florida plant, called the Desoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center, sits on 180 acres and will provide enough power for 3000 homes and businesses. It will eclipse Nevada’s Nellis Solar Power Plant for the title of largest solar photovoltaic solar facility in the US, but won’t hold that title for long. First Solar is building a 48MW plant in Nevada and announced recently it will build a huge 2GW plant over in China. It’s a great start though and puts Florida and FPL Group on the solar map.
Latest Updates: barack obama RSS
-
Nation’s Largest Solar Plant Begins Producing Tuesday
Tate -
Senate Kills Energy Acts 3044 and 6049
TateA couple days ago, two energy acts that many feel were important to continuing the momentum of renewable energies were killed by Republicans in the Senate, which feel the acts provide unnecessary, permanent tax hikes in exchange for subsidies. I don’t have all the details on this yet but hope to have an article up on the main site soon detailing what these acts proposed and why they were shot down.
Said Barack Obama:
“Today, Senate Republicans turned a blind eye to the plight of America’s working families and our nation’s worsening dependence on foreign oil. At a time when Americans are struggling with skyrocketing energy prices, including paying over $4.00 a gallon for gasoline, Senate Republicans blocked debate on important legislation that would have provided tax relief for low-income families and spurred on investments in job-creating research and development and alternative energy.
“Senate Republicans also refused to extend critical investments in renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and cellulosic ethanol. I am particularly disappointed that the tax credit for the installation of biofuels pumps at gas stations, a provision I helped enact in 2005, is among the provisions that were blocked.
“These proposals alone would not have solved our serious energy problems, but they would have provided American families with some much-needed relief from record high gas prices. They also would have put America on track to having real alternatives to foreign oil and helped make our economy less vulnerable. We must stand with American families and not with those that are taking advantage of them, and I am committed to working with my colleagues to pass these important measures.”
-
Barack Obama’s Environmental Policy
TateNow that Barack Obama is the presumptive nominee for the Democratic party, there will be much comparison made between his energy policy and John McCains. According to, www.cutyourfootprint.com, Obama, like McCain supports a cap and trade system where companies are required to pay for the carbon they emit, which essentially acts as a tax against pollution in which the proceeds go to developing greener technologies. Obama is a supporter of coal to liquid technology and ethanol production (which I disagree with) in hopes of achieving a drop in oil consumption by 35% within 20 years. He also favors phasing out incandescent light bulbs in favor of LED energy saving bulbs by 2014.
