This belongs squarely in the WTF category.
When I first read the story, I presumed it was right out of
The Onion, the satire Web site that looks just like news.
Nope. It's legit. The Florida Solar Energy
Industries Association (www.flaseia.org) announced its
support for a proposal to authorize offshore energy
exploration for oil and natural gas in Florida waters. Are
they insane? No, just more flush with money.
The group, which represents Florida
manufacturers, distributors, contractors and retailers that
provide solar water heating and solar electric systems,
claims that revenue from offshore oil and natural gas
production "will act as a bridge to help Florida adopt
alternative and renewable energies for the future."
Um, besides the concern that spills and
construction could despoil Florida's primary source of
revenue -- tourism -- the idea that companies that install
sustainable, alternate energy sources would endorse the hunt
and drilling for one of the clear culprits in climate change
is jaw dropping.
Now read their justification: "With
Florida expected to face billion-dollar budget shortfalls
for at least the next three years, revenues from oil and gas
drilling could help our state meet its budget needs while
providing a permanent, dedicated revenue source for programs
that invest in renewable energy technologies."
You just have to wonder who is lining
their pockets to elicit such a lame and patently stupid
idea. And their customers and potential customers must --
no, should -- be appalled. The idea that these revenues
would flow directly to investments in alternate energy
sources is pure loony tunes.
Clearly the group is stung by the
criticism they've gotten because they have lashed out at
environmental groups such as The Nature Conservancy. Members
of these environmental groups are probably in the solar
installers' biggest constituency, so their reaction
represents a real death wish.
Send a message to this group that they are
way off the mark on this. However, you'd better come up with
a bunch of money because they clearly got some somewhere to
get them to make such dumb statements.
Amazing.
Michael Welber
Marathon
