Business Must Lead

Ky. Voices: Business must lead to creating green jobs

Jan 17, 2011 - Andrew McNeill, director of the Commonwealth Institute for Energy and the Environment in Louisville, correctly pointed out that growth in the "green energy" economy right now relies on a heavy dose of government subsidies for project development, production and transmission of electricity. We cannot subsidize our way to prosperity. And despite the need for all consumers to reduce energy consumption, we cannot conserve enough power to offset future energy requirements.

So what to do? Look to the private sector and public-private partnership opportunities. The spirit of entrepreneurship is not dead — especially in the energy industry. As research conducted by groups like the Center for Applied Energy Research is commercialized, it will be the private sector that puts up the venture capital to make theories and blueprints become realities. And part of that work begins today. {continued}