What seems to be happening is that it’s suddenly way cool to be involved with renewable energy on Capitol Hill. Consider the last administration’s treatment of climate change and insistence on using our fossil fuel resources to the last drop: this is a sea change for Washington. And the Obama administration, not even 48 hours after the inauguration, approved $20 billion in tax credits & other incentives for renewable energy as part of Obama’s economic stimulus package. (Yesterday, in related news, Adam talked about how Washington is reconsidering the ITC in favor of direct grants.) So he’s willing to put his money where his mouth is, concerning renewables–if you were holding your breath, I think you can let it out now.

See US News & World Report

a

President Barack Obama

Hardly a minute into his inaugural address, the 44th President of the United States of America said: “each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”

From the beginning of his campaign for the presidency, Barack Obama has evinced strong support for a shift away from traditional energy sources. His energy platform called for a RPS comprising these main goals:

• an investment of $150 billion over 10 years in clean energy, with the aim of spurring huge private sector growth
• 10% of our electricity to come from renewable sources by 2012, and 25% by 2025
• reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 through the use of a cap-and-trade system.

Ever since the young, ambitious, and totally unexpected Senator Obama started to make a serious bid for the Democratic nomination, supporters have been drawn to his energy and enthusiasm as much as to his politics. He seems to have the power to truly inspire people, a rare quality at any time and one that this country needs. Markets respond to confidence, after all. We can use this as an analogy for renewable energy in this country, even: a market that has been suffering from lack of confidence (and serious lack of investors) for years is suddenly receiving an influx not just of dollars, but also of hope.

In his inaugural address, President Obama went on to list many of the problems this country is facing right now and that need rectification. He placed emphasis again on renewable energy, specifically referencing solar power this time. As wonderful as it was to see a presidential candidate talking a good game about renewables, it’s something else entirely to hear our new President reaffirm his commitment to energy diversity by treating the subject with the same eloquent optimism he offers to health care, unemployment, and education. By including this in his inaugural address he made himself officially accountable for following through on his promises. And perhaps more importantly, he gave us all a reason to hope for real change in the coming years of his first term in office.

We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories…All this we can do. All this we will do.

- President Barack Obama, January 20, 2009

a

As President-elect Barack Obama prepares for his inauguration, a number of groups have planned balls in Washington to celebrate his arrival. One such event is the Green Inaugural Ball, set for prime-time partying at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium and featuring Wyclef Jean.

The Web site for the Green Inaugural Ball is hosted by a solar-powered data center. AISO.net operates the data center and says it has a 20-kilowatt plant fueled by solar panels.

What’s more,

…the greenies at the unofficial green event will be tipping glasses of free “local and organic beverages,” while dining “on organic and local ingredients with vegetarian and vegan options,” according to the event’s Web site. They’ll also find printed materials made of recycled paper, flower arrangements produced by local growers and tables, linens and flatware rented from a local company, as opposed to a company in far-off Texas…

How much energy the Green Ball Web site actually consumes is anyone’s guess. I’d bet my pants and socks, however, that it’s a heck of a lot less than all that jet fuel burned by the four million guests expected in DC for inauguration-related events. (Attendees can offset the carbon emissions from their flight, however, which I suppose is a plus.)

Having read about the Green Ball, I alternate between (1) feeling uplifted and thankful that we live in a society where green party planning is an actual line of business, and (2) feeling a little hallow inside that planners deem their use of recycled paper and locally rented flatware worthy of special accolade. (What do you want, a cookie?)

To be fair, renewable energy credits will be purchased to offset electricity use, as murky as the details may be. According to the Green Ball Web site, Event Emissary will

make every effort to reduce the power consumption of the Green Ball. The power used to produce the event will be offset by the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits from American Wind, Renewable Choice Energy’s signature portfolio.

Anyway, at 500 bucks a pop, the tickets don’t come cheap. But, then again, who am I to determine the fair price for a chance to see Wyclef Jean in a venue so green it makes *regular* parties look dangerously irresponsible and downright filthy. Ah, the price of a clean conscience… In the end, of course, shrewd observers likely realize that the real chance to tackle energy- and environment-related challenges won’t come this weekend. Rather, it will come over the course of the next four years — and beyond. ‘Til then, you may as well drink your organic drink, and bask in the warm glow of bulbs powered by renewables.

a