Here's an old news item out of Germany (dated 15th March 2009). I would like you to read this with consideration to the decisions that have been made in this country to continue to give subsidies to the coal and electricity industries....it astounds me and makes me upset to think we are soooo far behind in this "clever country".
"Renewable energies once again proved their importance for growth and employment last year. According to the latest figures, the number of employees in this sector rose from 250,000 in 2007 to almost 280,000 - an increase of more than 10 percent. The reason: strongly increasing domestic turnover of around 30 billion euro in 2008 and a significant rise in the renewables' share in electricity and heat production. According to provisional estimates by the Working Group on Renewable Energies Statistics, renewables enable savings of roughly 115 million tonnes of climate-damaging CO2 per year in - 57 million tonnes as a result of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) alone.With a share of around 10 percent in final energy consumption, renewables have further strengthened their role as a key pillar of sustainable energy supply. They have a share of 14.8 percent in gross electricity consumption and 7.7 percent in heat supply. In 2008 the renewables sector recorded a significant increase in turnover. Total investments and revenues from plant operations rose last year to around 30 billion euro - almost 4.5 billion more than in the previous year. With almost 13 billion euro, investments in plant construction were almost 20 percent above the previous year's figure." Source
Why oh why are we wasting our time??????
