Obama Team Is Oddly Quiet About Evidence That Renewable Energy Beats Nuclear in Job Creation

[tekisui]

Source: Alternet

On the heels of President Obama's big energy speech and in the wake of the ongoing nuclear disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, the Obama administration -- along with many members of Congress and the nuclear industry -- remains steadfast in its promotion of nuclear energy here at home.

With nationwide unemployment still hovering around 9 percent, job creation has been one of the leading support points for the so-called "nuclear renaissance."

But AlterNet has learned that University of Massachusetts researchers at the Political Economy Research Institute -- who are also consultants to the Department of Energy -- have provided data to the Obama administration that show investment in renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and biomass, would generate far more returns in American jobs than would investment in building new nuclear power plants.

The Obama administration, however, has steered clear of providing this fact to the American public. An analysis by AlterNet, applying the same job investment data that University of Massachusetts researchers provided to the Obama administration in July 2010, reveals that, for every $1 million invested, renewable energy sources would create nearly 20 percent more jobs than would new nuclear energy sources. (The exact figure is 18.3 percent.)

more: http://www.alternet.org/environment/150546/obama_team_is_oddly_quiet_about_evidence_that_renewable_energy_beats_nuclear_in_job_creation?page=1

[polichick]

1. Obama and EXELON:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-23/nuclear-illinois-helped-shape-obama-view-on-energy-in-dealings-with-exelon.html

[sasha031]

4. unbelievable, I have been wondering why he is so head strong about going ahead with Nuclear

in spite of the horror that has happened, that link explains many things.


I am not happy with the energy policy he is putting forth.

[polichick]

12. It's pretty awful - especially considering the dangers of global warming.

[msongs]

2. if Obama is letting john Boner write tomorrow's speech, maybe nuclear will be in it lol nt

[Speck Tater]

3. Wrong spin. To them it's not "creates more jobs", but rather "entails higher labor costs." nt

[tekisui]

6. Good point.

[LoZoccolo]

5. A giant people-powered hamster wheel would create more jobs than anything.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LoZoccolo]

8. Which one are you talking about?

[Gravel Democrat]

9. ^^^ WWHD?

[PVnRT]

10. New industries always create more jobs than expanding existing ones

You have to create a completely new labor infrastructure - more laborers, more engineers, more of everyone else who supports the day-to-day stuff. Simply expanding one industry is not as effective, as it creates a lot of lateral movement, but fewer "new" jobs.

[Search4Justice]

11. Nothing odd about it.

Follow the money and use The Golden Rule.