Massachusetts Demands a Greener Presidential Candidate

Not thought to be as sunny of a place as states such as California and Florida, Massachusetts enjoys it's sunlight very much and now solar companies are identifying high growth potential for solar in the North East region of the United States. It would be highly beneficial for the issue of renewable energy to be addressed by the presidential candidates in the final months to give Americans a better idea of which candidate has their best interests in mind. Diverting much, if not all of the government subsidies from gluttonous oil companies to developing renewable energy companies would certainly spur growth in the industry and allow for the competitiveness required to improve the technology further and lower prices.

The growth of solar company's presence in Massachusetts has made for an exciting new wave of possibilities for making the northeast region more energy independent and having an entirely new economic sector to develop domestically. National and local legislation has made Massachusetts and appealing market for many companies to venture towards. A major solar panel installer in Borrego Solar, a California based company, has seen a unique opportunity in the Massachusetts solar industry and opened its East Coast office to capitalize on recent legislation passed by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. Another prominent player in the solar industry is Evergreen Solar which is a producer of photovoltaic solar panels. Evergreen's unique thin-ribbon technology is a way to get maximum amounts of energy from sunlight without using as much silicon in the production process. With a new plant scheduled for completion in Devens, Massachusetts in 2009, Evergreen is poised grow explosively in the solar industry domestically and abroad.

Most of today's solar power giants are not located on American soil. Companies like First Solar and Trina Solar are Chinese companies which have grown explosively and cornered much of the international market. But, competition and market forces are making it more difficult for these giants to stay on top. Companies like Evergreen have taken steps to develop technology that will isolate them from a coming silicon shortage and allow them to continue to make profits. Borrego Solar has developed its engineering and installation systems into a streamlined and cost effective model that is scalable to all sizes of commercial and home-owner interests. Additionally these companies at home will create millions of jobs in the future. The education and training of our young workforce in sustainable technologies is crucial towards our country's economy adapting to the unavoidable changes associated with leaving fossil fuels behind.

Lately, talk on Capitol Hill has been going on pointing to the elimination of tax credits for renewable energy companies. This is not surprising given the current administrations poor stance on energy independence and their addiction to oil. But, I feel the urgency, as do millions of other Americans, over the need to turn the boat quickly towards a sustainable future. Carbon dioxide may be the means with which our species becomes extinct. This isn't just a local Massachusetts issue, it is world-wide. The shift of power from the carbon emitting industries to cleaner and healthier innovations is something that much more effort should be put into. Massachusetts has taken an active stance in combating global warming and reducing its carbon footprint and we demand a president that will take steps to do the same.