SocraticGadfly: Obama's 'green jobs' push takes another hit

January 30, 2010

Obama's 'green jobs' push takes another hit

Another "giant sucking sound," to riff on Ross Perot, as China is now the world's largest maker of wind turbines.
“Most of the energy equipment will carry a brass plate, ‘Made in China,’ ” said K. K. Chan, the chief executive of Nature Elements Capital, a private equity fund in Beijing that focuses on renewable energy.

That said, the story notes that China now has the world's largest electric power market and also its fastest growing. So, much of that increase in manufacturing will be for domestic use, but Obama's "green jobs" could be short-term construction/installation of turbines as much as building them.

That said, a lot of turbines aren't yet on China's electric grid, which appears to still be less efficient than ours. Speaking of such things, unless Beijing threatens to shoot shoddy manufacturers, made-in-China turbines may not be so great after all.

Also, China has the grandest plans for wind power. That said, at least Beijing is buying solar panels from the U.S, at least for now.

No comments: