Economic Downturn and U.S. Energy Policy

Moving from carbon-based energy sources to nuclear or alternative energy sources is going to require government incentives and private investment. There is good reason to believe that the current economic crisis is going to slow or thwart the development of new energy sources.

Given the high capital investment costs of nuclear energy, going PRO in October has probably gotten more difficult in the past week.

What Do Wall Street’s Woes Mean for Renewable Energy?
“Amid all the uncertainty on Wall Street because of the burgeoning financial crisis, there have been growing concerns about the potential fallout for emerging industries like renewable energy.”

Stumbling Economy Pushes Energy Issues to Back Burner
“With a lockup of credit markets, increasing unemployment and a soaring national debt, the economy has already far eclipsed new energy initiatives in the minds of voters. What’s more, paying for candidates’ wish lists, including new nuclear plants, wind farms and solar energy, may be hampered by a $10 trillion national debt that could grow by another $700 billion once the bailout package begins dispensing taxpayer cash.

‘The financial crisis may constrain or delay the opportunities for doing all that,’ said Geoffrey Dabelko, an analyst at the Woodrow Wilson Center, a nonpartisan Washington think tank.”

Update: Newsday seems to have published an expanded version of this article under a new title. There is some overlap, but there is also new material.

Greens Use Bailout to Go Anti-Nuke
“Some environmental groups see a silver lining in the $700 billion financial bailout that is stalled in Congress, asserting the eye-popping price tag could help derail the development of another costly investment: nuclear energy.”

Greens Exploit Wall Street Bailout
“Environmental activists are trying to figure out ways to advance their global-warming-regulation agenda by exploiting the current financial crisis, including the Wall Street bailout bill to be voted on by the House.”