Clean Technology on the Brink

New York Times ^ | April 18, 2012 | By JOHN M. BRODER

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Clean energy technology has grown robustly and come down in price in recent years, driven by hefty government stimulus spending, expectations of future regulation and substantial private investment. But that technology is going to fall off a cliff unless government steps in quickly to revitalize the solar, wind, nuclear, battery and clean vehicle sectors with new spending and federal policy, according to a new study from three research groups.

The study notes that the tens of billions of dollars from President Obama’s stimulus program are drying up, even as tax breaks that have supported wind and solar power generation are expiring. The result is an anticipated 75 percent decline in federal clean technology spending by 2014 from a peak of $44.3 billion in 2009.

The authors recommend renewing some of the tax incentives and boosting federal spending, at least until those industries can compete on their own.

[justa-hairyape]

You cannot change the laws of physics with paper money or paper debt. At the rate these clowns are going, we will be 50 trillion in debt by the end of the decade, the laws of physics will have not changed one bit, and green technology will still be a failure.

[MNDude]

just on the brink, just like fetal stem cell cures for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Just like dangerous global warming.

[DAC21]

And Bambi is on the brink of being kicked out of Office, so expect daily drivel from the NY Times about the great “One”

[mikey_hates_everything]

When did nuclear get on the A-list for “clean energy”?

[tom h]

"How in the world would “expectations of future regulation” bring down the price?"

Regulation would not bring down the price of solar or wind but would raise the cost of fossil fuel competitors; e.g., the EPA's rules for clean coal that, in effect, prohibit the construction of any new plants.

Meaning, if Obama has his way, our costs for energy will "necessarily skyrocket," as he stated during 2007. But skyrocketed electricity costs kind of make even solar and wind competitive.