Sustainable Society Club - How Will Renewables Fare in the New Political Environment?

Americans have heard the Presidential and Congressional candidates talk about renewable energy for the last 24 months. Now it's up to Democrats to live up to the talk. With a Democrat in the White House and a significant Democratic majority in Congress, industry leaders are hopeful that renewable energies will become a higher national priority.

"To date, we have had no leadership capable of moving the world in a new direction. President Obama can be this leader, he will be the catalyst for the dawn of the solar revolution and the beginning of the transition to a truly renewable economy," said Financial Analyst J. Peter Lynch

President-elect Barack Obama and Democrats in the House and Senate will have many items on the clean-energy agenda in 2009. Extending the Production Tax Credit, creating a Renewable Portfolio Standard and passing carbon cap and trade legislation are some of the top goals for lawmakers.

Both parties showed stronger support for clean energy and energy efficiency efforts throughout the campaign season. While the Congressional stalemate over the extension of the Investment and Production Tax Credits tainted the political conversation over renewables in 2008, there was an obvious bi-partisan shift in favor of renewable energy on the campaign trail.

There has been a feeling among many professionals and analysts, however, that a Democratic White House and Congress will give more robust support to the industry.

For more: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=54014