Here's a "tale of two cities" - or two countries, actually. Germany and the United States. One country is preparing for a future in which their children will breathe clean air and lead the worlds economy - and the other is preparing for a future in which their children will choke on polluted air - and fall behind the rest of the world in the global economy. Can you guess which is which? Germany just announced a $260 billion investment in new energy - that's 8% of their GDP - with a goal of getting 80% of their nation's energy from wind and solar. This is the largest investment in energy that Germany has made since World War 2 - and they're even making this investment right in the middle of the financial crisis sweeping Europe - because Germany "gets it." No nation in the history of the world has ever cut its way to prosperity - just look at Greece. So Germany knows that the only way to get out of this crisis - is to GROW their way out of it - to come out in the end of it a better, stronger, and wealthier nation - through government investments in the future. Germany is going to build offshore wind farms - covering an area six-times larger than the size of New York City. They're going to put up thousands and thousands of miles in new power lines to modernize their energy grid - enough new smartgrid power lines that, if they were stretched out in a single line, would reach from London all the way to Baghdad. And, prompted by the Fukushima disaster in Japan last year <b>...</b>
In the News:
The Future For Renewables Metropolitan Corporate Counsel Evidence seems to suggest that many states do because at least 27 states and the District of Columbia have binding RPS laws. Editor: European countries, most notably Germany, have employed feed-in tariffs to promote renewable energy development. and more » |
Concentrated solar power in Spain: Renewable Energies, Employment and Development REVE There are two approaches to addressing the necessary evolution towards a renewable energy model. One option, the most prevalent in our history, is to wait for others to develop the technology and then acquire it from them. and more » |
Marching Against the Madness of Nuclear Energy CounterPunch Among other falsehoods, the ads claim that nuclear energy is “home grown” when in reality 94% of uranium – essential to make reactor fuel – is imported. It also claims to create thousands of jobs. However, the example of Germany shows the renewable ... and more » |
The National | Tomorrow's Energy: A strong case for hydrogen The National The fierce debate over the prospects for hydrogen as a clean, renewable energy source for the future has dragged on for decades. The pro-hydrogen forces periodically trumpet important breakthroughs, only to be knocked back by disappointing setbacks. and more » |
Germany Set to Invest $260 Billion in a Renewable Revolution Oil & Gas Financial Journal Just what energy source would replace such a huge swath of power in Europe's dominant economy? The short-term solution had to be natural gas. But this would make Germany more dependent upon imported energy, especially from Russia. and more » |
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Video: Germany to Make History With Alternative Energy (by TheBigPictureRT) Well, now I know where I’m... http://t.co/YWFro5KU
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