What a shame – will US Jobs again hold back US independence? With the US incapable or unwilling to act on climate, will Wind Energy Stimulus input translate into holding back from using Chinese turbines that will come with Chinese money in order to develop US wind? GM went bankrupt because it did not make cars in a competitive, efficient, and acceptable way and manage still to hide behind the labor unions in order to continue getting Washington’s protection from the real world entering fortress USA.

The US does not have the money for renewable energy because it spent the money on wars for oil. It also did not set up plants to build the equipment needed for the new industries because it is still set to guard the jobs of the workers from the old industries – this seems a ready made situation for the Chinese to move in. Right now AES Corp., the US power producer with operations in 29 countries agreed to sell $1.58 billion in stock and a 35% stake in its wind power business to China Investment Corp. CIC – read China Government – for $2.2 Billion in cash. CIC will thus own 15% of all Virginia based AES says Bloomberg. Someone will have to make those turbines – and it clearly will be the Chinese.

Now the following:

Wind Energy Stimulus -  Will Wind Energy Stimulus Funds Go To Chinese Manufacturers?

By Jeff Siegel
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
Earlier this week Jeff Siegel  of Green Chip Review told us that China marched into Texas with $1.5 billion for a 600+ megawatt wind farm. The project is actually a joint venture with Cielo Wind Power, U.S. Renewable Energy Group, and Shenyang Power Group. When completed, it will supply enough power for about 180,000 homes.
Well, now it looks like Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), wants the Obama administration to reject an expected request for stimulus funding for this particular wind project because it could end up generating Chinese jobs – not U.S. jobs. According to the Senator, if approved, the funds would be used to buy turbines and other components made in a Chinese plant.
Certainly I agree that stimulus money should be provided for projects that create domestic jobs (especially in the manufacturing sector). But it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
I suspect that part of the whole deal hinged on Chinese manufacturer, A-Power Generation Systems providing the turbines. And I can’t imagine the Chinese will set up manufacturing facilities in the U.S. just for this one project.
It’s actually quite frustrating when you think about it. After all, we have fantastic wind resources in Texas, yet at this point, the only folks willing to pony up the cash to develop this particular project are in China.
Don’t get me wrong. If China wants to invest in these projects (and make huge profits) because we can’t seem to get it done – so be it. Because the bottom line is that we need to build out our renewable energy mix and strengthen our electric infrastructure now. Not tomorrow. And if China’s willing to step in because we won’t – well, that’s on us.
And don’t kid yourself. China already has a huge stake in all of this anyway. Whether through turbines, solar panels and batteries or the rare earth elements that are necessary to build these things – China’s influence on OUR energy economy is real…and it’s massive.
Of course, it’s no secret that the opportunity for renewable energy development in the U.S. is huge. And if a Chinese company wants to invest in a Texas wind farm or set up shop here in the United States, and use domestic workers to manufacture this stuff – I’m all for it. Certainly that’s what companies like Vestas, Gamesa and Siemens have done.
But with unemployment likely to remain at unacceptable levels for years to come, we can’t afford to lose out on a single job.
That being said, if we don’t get our act together soon and start getting aggressive on providing the necessary funding and manufacturing for our own renewable energy development – rest assured, someone else will. With or without stimulus funds.