In Washington, money matters more than words, so no
matter what politicians say, budgets provide the best way to judge their
intentions. President Obama has been touting clean energy, highlighting
it in his State of the Union address and touring Western states to
promote initiatives like installing clean energy projects on public lands. But the best indication that he’s serious about clean energy comes in his 2013 budget, which includes a request for a 29 percent bump in funding for renewables.
The president won’t get everything he asks for in the budget, and in
the grand scheme of funding, the $2.3 billion he wants to put towards
renewable energy is pocket change. But it could make a big difference
for solar, wind, and geothermal projects and research. The budget directs funds
towards energy efficiency, which could receive 80 percent more money
than it did last year. Research into electric vehicles is poised for a
big bump, as is funding for commercial building efficiency. The
president’s budget also ties these funding increases to an overall goal
of increasing clean energy’s share of the nation’s overall electricity
market to 80 percent by 2035.
