Friday, February 06, 2009
Will Green Energy Wilt from Lack of Funds?
The financial specialists that convert tax credits into capital to build new windmills and solar farms have all but disappeared
After years of fighting for stronger, more consistent state and federal support, the renewable-energy industry couldn't have asked for a better 2008. Although supplying just a sliver—barely 3%—of the nation's electricity, nonpolluting renewables such as wind, solar, and geothermal are the fastest-growing type of power being added to the grid. New installations of solar and wind power both hit record levels last year in the U.S.
In a year when the overall outlook for green businesses was mixed, renewables proved to be standout, says Joel Makower, executive editor of GreenBiz.com. Growth of renewable energy seems slow "because [of] the relative small size of the renewable energy sector, compared with the existing power generation industry," Makower points out in GreenBiz.com's just-released State of Green Business 2009 report. "But a closer look at the sub-sectors reveals impressive strides."
See full Article.