Romney’s Support of Biofuels, Bioenergy Is too Vague
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney issued a white paper outlining his energy policy this week. In that paper, in order to facilitate private-sector-led development, he said that is would “support increased market penetration and competition among energy sources by maintaining the RFS and eliminating regulatory barriers to a diversification of the electrical grid, fuel system, or vehicle fleet.” The paper also noted he would “ensure that policies for expanding energy development apply broadly to energy sources from oil and gas exploration, to coal mining, to the siting of wind, solar, hydroelectric, and other renewable energy facilities.”
However, the white paper offers no more specific information on Romney’s position regarding the RFS, biofuels, or renewable energy.
…The document actually states the following: “As for job creation, studies show that “green” jobs might actually hurt employment more than they help it. Green energy is capital-intensive and tends to displace labor.
…Here in the United States, despite the Obama administration’s wishes, the marketplace is simply not absorbing green-collar workers. Of 3,586 recent graduates of a Department of Labor-sponsored “green” jobs training program, only 466 were able to find jobs. Taxpayer money spent on “green” training, it seems, was wasted.” As an alternative, Romney touts the job opportunities associated with the fossil fuel sector.
However, green jobs are exactly what our industry creates. The rapidly expanding advanced and cellulosic biofuel, biochemical, bioplastic, biomass, biogas and biopower sectors are testament to the fact that the alternative energy sector can—and does—create jobs of many kinds, from highly-skilled research and executive positions, to construction and transportation jobs. READ MORE
