Cardinal Fastener Joins Wind Energy Lobby for Renewable Mandate
3/11/2010
MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
Cardinal Fastener Joins Wind Energy Lobby for Renewable Mandate
The U.S. wind industry is pressing Congress to enact a national requirement that utilities generate some power from renewable sources, the New York Times reports. The wind lobby also wants to stop a Senate measure that would prohibit federal grants from going to companies that manufacture outside the U.S.
“If Congress acts with this policy in place, you’ll see explosive growth,” said Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association.
“The lobbying effort comes as lawmakers debate policies the wind industry says would slow manufacturing and kill jobs,” writes Anne Mulkern. “Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has introduced legislation that would restrict grants to companies that rely on materials manufactured in the United States and create the bulk of jobs domestically.”
A study by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University that found that 79% of the $2 billion in renewable energy grants doled out from the stimulus went to foreign companies.
Wind executives insist they are creating jobs in the U.S., but say they need a national mandate that utilities generate a certain amount of power from renewable sources, called a renewable electricity standard.
“The renewable electricity standard has three main points to it. Job, jobs and jobs,” said John Grabner, president of Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Co.
Grabner said an order from a turbine manufacturer prompts an order for U.S. steel, creating steel industry jobs along with jobs at Cardinal Fastener.
Tax credits for renewable power have not been consistent, Bode said.
Wind executives claim there has been a lack of federal aid for renewables while nuclear power and the fossil fuel industry have received years of help.
“For 25 years we’ve had no policy support,” said Donald Furman, senior vice president of Portland, OR-based Iberdrola Renewables Inc. Furman also is president of the American Wind Energy Association. “As a result, the manufacturing part of this business largely went overseas.”
The wind industry has tripled spending to $5 million on lobby efforts, including an advertisement in Politico promoting the group’s power to create jobs.
“The American wind industry provides 85,000 American jobs and has increased domestic manufacturing twelve-fold since 2004,” the full-page ad says. “Passage of comprehensive energy and climate legislation with a strong Renewable Electricity Standard would … create 274,000 more jobs right here in America.”
The wind group is working with biomass and solar companies to push for a renewable electricity standard. ©2010 GlobalFastenerNews.com
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