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Is the End of Renewables Nigh as Fukushima Anniversary Nears? [View all]
Is the End of Renewables Nigh as Fukushima Anniversary Nears?
Yes, the Germans Are Cutting Solar PV Tariffs; Yes, the Solar PV Tariffs Do Need to Be Cut; No, It's Not the End of the World
By Paul Gipe, Contributor
March 8, 2012
In the run-up to the 11 March anniversary of the Fukushima reactor meltdown, the steady drip of anti-renewables articles in the mainstream media will become a torrent as the nuclear lobby cranks up its public relations machine. And they're taking aim at European feed-in tariffs, no doubt because of their success. Germany is particularly in their cross-hairs because of its massive development of renewable energy over the past two decades and its plan to close all its reactors for good.
I call this the "end is nigh" strategy. For example, expect to hear that Germany doesn't really produce much with all those renewables, doesn't really employ that many people building wind turbines and solar panels, and has finally seen reason and is abandoning feed-in tariffs.
Here in the U.S., we saw this approach at work this week when one of our most famous right-wing "shock jocks," Rush Limbaugh, trying to deflect a storm of criticism over his most-recent sexist remarks, launch a diatribe that building wind turbines and solar panels does not create "real jobs." That leaves one with the impression that the only "real jobs" are those involved with building, or repairing nuclear power plants — or, we should add — trying to save them from destruction.
Since the 1930s, the key to effective propaganda has been to build it around an element of truth. Thus the media and the blogosphere — at least here in the english-speaking world — are having a field day after learning that Germany's conservative ruling coalition of the CDU and FDP (with particular prodding from Philipp Rösler of the FDP) have reached an agreement to dramatically cut feed-in tariffs for solar photovoltaics (solar PV) even more than already scheduled.
With this background in mind, here are some thoughts on what to expect and how to react to the "end of renewables is nigh."...
Yes, the Germans Are Cutting Solar PV Tariffs; Yes, the Solar PV Tariffs Do Need to Be Cut; No, It's Not the End of the World
By Paul Gipe, Contributor
March 8, 2012
In the run-up to the 11 March anniversary of the Fukushima reactor meltdown, the steady drip of anti-renewables articles in the mainstream media will become a torrent as the nuclear lobby cranks up its public relations machine. And they're taking aim at European feed-in tariffs, no doubt because of their success. Germany is particularly in their cross-hairs because of its massive development of renewable energy over the past two decades and its plan to close all its reactors for good.
I call this the "end is nigh" strategy. For example, expect to hear that Germany doesn't really produce much with all those renewables, doesn't really employ that many people building wind turbines and solar panels, and has finally seen reason and is abandoning feed-in tariffs.
Here in the U.S., we saw this approach at work this week when one of our most famous right-wing "shock jocks," Rush Limbaugh, trying to deflect a storm of criticism over his most-recent sexist remarks, launch a diatribe that building wind turbines and solar panels does not create "real jobs." That leaves one with the impression that the only "real jobs" are those involved with building, or repairing nuclear power plants — or, we should add — trying to save them from destruction.
Since the 1930s, the key to effective propaganda has been to build it around an element of truth. Thus the media and the blogosphere — at least here in the english-speaking world — are having a field day after learning that Germany's conservative ruling coalition of the CDU and FDP (with particular prodding from Philipp Rösler of the FDP) have reached an agreement to dramatically cut feed-in tariffs for solar photovoltaics (solar PV) even more than already scheduled.
With this background in mind, here are some thoughts on what to expect and how to react to the "end of renewables is nigh."...
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/03/is-the-end-of-renewables-nigh-as-fukushima-anniversary-nears?cmpid=WNL-Friday-March9-2012
7 replies
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