Earlier this year at what was billed as a “solar summit” the Obama administration announced a $15 million program to help state, local and tribal governments build solar panels and other infrastructure to fight climate change. The initiative is designed to push governments and private and nonprofit businesses to increase their use of solar power.
This program encourage federal agencies, military installations, and publicly-subsidized buildings in the Washington area to install more solar panels on roofs, covered parking garages and open land.
Also earlier this year the Department of Energy (DoE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced their own pro-solar initiatives. DoE indicated that it would guarantee at least $2.5 billion in loans for “innovative” solar projects. Over the next decade the EPA pledged to double the use of renewable energy at its network of 1,500 partners organizations which includes schools, public buildings, and businesses.
The solar industry combats climate change by providing clean energy that reduces the need for power derived from environmentally destructive fossil fuels. It also grows the economy and provides jobs. There are currently nearly 143,000 Americans employed by the solar sector representing growth of 50 percent since 2010.
© 2014, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.
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