Building a clean energy economy

Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis wrote an op-ed piece that ran in several US newspapers today. Here's an excerpt:

For decades, while Americans have worked to make a difference in their communities, some politicians in both parties have failed to adequately address the energy crisis, which imperils our economy, our security and our planet. Now, we have a unique and critical opportunity to attack the energy crisis head on and create a comprehensive energy policy that will bolster our economy, end our dependence on foreign oil and reduce the threat of deadly pollution that could devastate our climate.

During his first months in office, President Obama has taken important first steps toward those goals through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which includes billions of dollars for cities and states across the country - to strengthen our clean energy industries, reduce our energy use, and create good jobs that can't be outsourced.

...This investment in our work force will not only jumpstart our economy today but will lay the foundation for America's long-term competitiveness. With the eventual depletion of the world's oil reserves and growing disruption of our climate, we know that the development of clean, renewable sources of energy is the growth industry of the 21st century. The question is who will lead the world in making the fuel-efficient vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels and other technologies of tomorrow.