Business and Labor: Create Clean Energy Markets

This morning's "Policies and Partnerships for a Clean Power Future" session found wide agreement from union officials and business leaders on how we should reform our energy policies.

Todd Foley of BP Solar and Jim Gordon of Cape Wind both lamented the "start and stop" nature of our government's involvement in promoting renewable energy.

Gordon advocated long-term policies, including tax incentives for production and power-purchasing agreements with utilities, while IBEW Local 103's Marty Aikens supported residential tax credits .

Lee Smith of the National Photovoltaic Construction Partnership pushed for state and local governments to create more demand by purchasing clean energy from domestic manufacturers. Foley concurred that if smart policies create domestic markets, home-grown manufacturing will make good business sense.

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