THE NEW ENERGY IN-CROWD

The New In-Crowd in Obama's Washington: the Renewable Energy Folks
Kent Garber, January 21, 2009 (U.S. News & World Report)

“…in President Barack Obama's Washington…the CEOs of the nation's top wind and solar trade organizations pass for celebrities…it was on display Monday night at the Green Inaugural Ball, hosted by former Vice President Al Gore…

“Standing on the red—or rather, green—carpet alongside musicians like John Legend, Maroon 5, and will.i.am were Denise Bode, the CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, and Rhone Resch, the Solar Energy Industries Association's president and CEO…"

Highlights of the 2009 Green Inaugural Ball. From Washingtonian via blip-tv.

“Inside the ballroom, though, the talk was mostly wonky…lobbyists, environmentalists, and trade association officials… sat at small tables (with green tablecloths) or stood around in small groups, discussing topics like the nuances of carbon cap-and-trade legislation…references to Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Henry Waxman, the California Democrats who now chair major committees on energy or the environment and…the fate of bills, dealing with everything from conservation of public lands to tax incentives for the wind and solar industries, were a prime topic…

“For these renewable energy proponents, Obama's presidency comes at a critical time… the economic downturn is taking a toll…

“Still, the event was something of a coming-out party for renewable energy, which has evolved over the past decade from a group of niche industries into serious forces on Capitol Hill with sophisticated lobbying operations…Gore told the crowd, ‘We have everything we need now, save perhaps political will. But...tomorrow at high noon, political will is a renewable resource…We have to get out there and help [Obama] pass his program.’”

"…advocates say that Congress and the new president should continue to work on extending tax credits for wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources, help developers get access to financing for renewable projects, and find ways to improve electricity transmission from resource-rich areas—the windy Midwest, the sunny Southwest—to populous coastal regions…"