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I was shocked to hear Sen. John McCain on TV a couple of nights ago (interviewed on PBS News Hour) say that weatherization was not a stimulus measure. Where does he get his information?
Weatherization is energy efficiency. It is a trifecta: helps low-income people reduce their energy bills, puts people to work performing the weatherization work while using materials and equipment primarily produced in the U.S. (like insulation, efficient windows, and HVAC equipment), and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by reducing demand for electricity, natural gas and heating oil.
It particularly will utilize building trades craftsmen who currently are needing work, and will increase demand from the moribund building materials industry hard hit by the housing slump. The overall effect should be very stimulating to the economy and produce many good jobs quickly because it is a labor-intensive activity.
I don't know who is generating the propaganda that weatherization is not a stimulus measure - it is the best kind of stimulus measure.
Evidently many Republicans have fallen for this propaganda; I heard Rep. Boehner make similar remarks. I trust you will not be fooled by it and will resist attempts to excise weatherization from the stimulus package.
Sincerely,
Richard H. Ball, retired energy policy and technology analyst
Annandale, VA
Call our U.S. Senators today! You can reach Sen. Warner's office at (202) 224-2023 and Sen. Webb's office at (202) 224-4024.
The U.S. and China are now locked in a race for the top of the global wind industry. Just yesterday, the AWEA announced that the U.S. has passed German to become #1 in the world with wind power installations. Meanwhile, China's total capacity has doubled for the 4th year in a row.
- The massive growth in the US wind market in 2008 increased the nation's total wind power generating capacity by 50%. The new wind projects completed in 2008 account for about 42% of the entire new power-producing capacity added in the US last year, and created 35,000 new jobs, for a total of 85,000 employed in the sector in the US.
- Global wind energy capacity grew by 28.8% last year, even higher than the average over the past decade, to reach total global installations of more than 120.8 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2008. Over 27,000 MW (27 GW) of new wind power generation capacity came online in 2008, 36% more than in 2007. The 120 GW of global wind capacity in place at the end of 2008 will produce 260 TWh and save 158 million tons of CO2 every year.
- Wind energy is now an important player in the world's energy markets. The global wind market for turbine installations in 2008 was worth about 36.5bn EUR or 47.5bn US$.
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The U.S. and China are now locked in a race for the top of the global wind industry. Just yesterday, the AWEA announced that the U.S. has passed German to become #1 in the world with wind power installations. Meanwhile, China's total capacity has doubled for the 4th year in a row.
