obama administration cleantech policy

by Daniel J. WeissBarack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign was built on “hope and change.” Millions of Americans went to the polls hoping that the federal government would change its approach to many of the nation’s challenges after eight years of retreat, neglect, and inertia under President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick...[read more]

When President Barack Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009, clean energy was largely a policymaking afterthought. Federal investment in clean energy research and development (R&D) stood at just over $4 billion a year – less than 40 percent of its peak in the 1970’s. It’s an understatement to say a lot has changed in the four years since.[read more]

Clean Energy via Shutterstock

By re-electing President Obama, American voters made clear that clean energy is vital to this country, and that wasteful, 19th-century energy does not hold the answers we seek. A majority of Americans voted for the candidate who arguably has done more for clean energy and efficiency than any other president. Voters cast their ballots for...[read more]

In September 2011, Solyndra, a US-based solar panel manufacturer, declared bankruptcy.  The Solyndra case illustrates the complexity of developing renewable energies.  Many globalization factors influence the production and distribution of  renewable energy, such as economics, politics, science and technology policy,...[read more]

The Solyndra debacle is no surprise to this cleantech venture capitalist. The inherent conflict between trying to get money out of the U.S. Treasury as quickly as possible to stimulate the economy and, at the same time, have government agencies that are ill-suited at making business decisions do just that was nothing other than a recipe for disaster.[read more]