Congressional stalemate over renewable energy

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/18/MNVE11ALRM.DTL&hw=solar&sn=001&sc=1000

Congressional stalemate over renewable energy

Zachary Coile, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Wednesday, June 18, 2008
(06-18) 04:00 PDT Washington - --

Even as lawmakers of both parties talk about the need to shift the country toward clean, renewable energy, Congress is in danger of letting key tax credits that have fueled the growth of wind and solar power expire at the end of the year.

The Senate failed for the second time in a week Tuesday to pass a bill to help businesses and homeowners switch to renewable energy. The tax incentives have strong bipartisan support, but they have been caught up in a fight between Democrats and Republicans over how to pay for them.

The stalemate is causing jitters among utilities and investors, including Bay Area venture capitalists and companies that are making billion-dollar bets on new technology, solar power plants and manufacturing sites to build solar panels and wind turbines. Many projects are being put on hold until Congress acts.

Arno Harris, CEO of Recurrent Energy in San Francisco, which helps finance and operate large-scale solar power projects, said his company is rushing to finish projects before Dec. 31, when the credits expire. Because large solar projects can take six months to build, the company is delaying new U.S. projects until the credits are renewed.

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[kestrel91316]

1. State and local governments and THE PEOPLE will do what Congress

is afraid to do.

When the news readers at frickin' RW KFI radio in Los Angeles start doing pieces on alternate energy and reducing carbon output and eating local, like they have in recent days, you know the worm has begun to turn.