The renewable energy industry is voicing support for the economic stimulus plan that was put forward by President-elect Barack Obama in his speech at George Mason University in which he announced that America ‘will double the production of alternative energy in the next three years.’
Michael Eckhart, president of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), attended the speech and came away with a strong belief that Obama is committed to implementing a new energy strategy for the nation, melding it with goals for national security and economic recovery, as well as traditional ties to the environment and climate conditions.
‘President-elect Obama called for growth of manufacturing in the United States, employing Americans in the production of solar panels, wind turbines and equipment associated with energy efficiency, electric power transmission, smart grid and advanced vehicles,’ says Eckhart. ‘Our industry can lead the way on economic recovery and growth with immediate results.’
ACORE will direct its next major industry event, the Renewable Energy Technology Conference and Exhibition (RETECH), which takes place Feb. 25-27 in Las Vegas, to planning the three-year scale-up and doubling the use of renewable energy within three years.
ACORE is responding by issuing a call for action to each of its organizational members and all other renewable energy organizations, asking every company, utility, professional service firm, financial institution, university, nonprofit group and government agency to come forward with its action plan, stating its own goals and role in the three-year national mobilization for renewable energy.
The action plans will be presented at RETECH and published on ACORE's Web site. ACORE will then monitor the progress of each plan over the next three years.
SOURCE: American Council On Renewable Energy
