ID :
42695
Mon, 01/26/2009 - 23:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/42695
The shortlink copeid
Obama urged to follow Korea's suit in clean energy development
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 (Yonhap) -- Citing South Korea as an example, a U.S. senator
has called for the Obama administration to invest heavily in the development of
clean energy technology, which she forecast as the largest industry of the 21st
century.
"South Korea understands that a nation that manages to win the international race
to develop clean energy technologies and industries will have a leg up in
determining the energy platform and all of the other solutions that will follow,"
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wa) told a Senate full session on Jan. 16, according to a
transcript released by the Senate Monday.
Cantwell was talking about the announcement by the South Korean government in
early January that it will put 50 trillion won (US$38 billion) over four years
into the development of environmentally friendly technologies such as low-carbon
emitting cars and other public transport systems and "green" homes and offices
that consume less energy.
"Now, $38 billion may not sound like a lot here in the United States given some
of the numbers people have been throwing around lately, but $38 billion for a
country with a GDP less than one-tenth of our size -- that would be like the
United States putting up $400 billion just to match the down payment South Korea
is investing in its clean energy future," the senator said.
"Early movers will have the edge in the largest new industry of the 21st century
-- clean energy," she said. "South Korea knows this because it has already been a
leader in lithium-ion battery technology made for cell phones and for laptops,
and now they are utilizing that knowledge base to come up with lithium-ion
battery solutions for cars."
The senator suggested clean energy investment is a sure way to create jobs in the
worsening economic woes and secure America's future technologies.
"In my opinion, stimulus, such as clean energy investment, should get a gold
star," she said. "If we are looking for avenues to create jobs and secure our
future, there is no better stimulus than clean energy."
"A recent study from the University of Massachusetts shows that a $100 billion
investment in this area would create 2 million jobs in the next two years," she
said. "That rate of jobs generated per dollar investment is far higher than other
types of infrastructure investment."
Clean energy should also serve as means of coping with volatile fuel prices and
supply and global warming, Cantwell said.
"Investing in clean energy also reduces a lot of risk that is in the marketplace
right now -- whether it be the billions of dollars we spend overseas on foreign
energy, or the fuel price volatility we saw last year, or the fear of supply
shock that comes on a regular basis," she said. "And obviously there is
uncertainty about global warming and the crisis it might lead to here and across
the world."
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 (Yonhap) -- Citing South Korea as an example, a U.S. senator
has called for the Obama administration to invest heavily in the development of
clean energy technology, which she forecast as the largest industry of the 21st
century.
"South Korea understands that a nation that manages to win the international race
to develop clean energy technologies and industries will have a leg up in
determining the energy platform and all of the other solutions that will follow,"
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wa) told a Senate full session on Jan. 16, according to a
transcript released by the Senate Monday.
Cantwell was talking about the announcement by the South Korean government in
early January that it will put 50 trillion won (US$38 billion) over four years
into the development of environmentally friendly technologies such as low-carbon
emitting cars and other public transport systems and "green" homes and offices
that consume less energy.
"Now, $38 billion may not sound like a lot here in the United States given some
of the numbers people have been throwing around lately, but $38 billion for a
country with a GDP less than one-tenth of our size -- that would be like the
United States putting up $400 billion just to match the down payment South Korea
is investing in its clean energy future," the senator said.
"Early movers will have the edge in the largest new industry of the 21st century
-- clean energy," she said. "South Korea knows this because it has already been a
leader in lithium-ion battery technology made for cell phones and for laptops,
and now they are utilizing that knowledge base to come up with lithium-ion
battery solutions for cars."
The senator suggested clean energy investment is a sure way to create jobs in the
worsening economic woes and secure America's future technologies.
"In my opinion, stimulus, such as clean energy investment, should get a gold
star," she said. "If we are looking for avenues to create jobs and secure our
future, there is no better stimulus than clean energy."
"A recent study from the University of Massachusetts shows that a $100 billion
investment in this area would create 2 million jobs in the next two years," she
said. "That rate of jobs generated per dollar investment is far higher than other
types of infrastructure investment."
Clean energy should also serve as means of coping with volatile fuel prices and
supply and global warming, Cantwell said.
"Investing in clean energy also reduces a lot of risk that is in the marketplace
right now -- whether it be the billions of dollars we spend overseas on foreign
energy, or the fuel price volatility we saw last year, or the fear of supply
shock that comes on a regular basis," she said. "And obviously there is
uncertainty about global warming and the crisis it might lead to here and across
the world."
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
