Reforma – necesitate sau ambitie?

In serviciile ecologice reforma este un fel de ?perpetuum mobile", adica permanenta, fara incetare! La inceput cind s-a organizat Departamentul pentru protectia mediului inconjurator la conducerea caruia a fost numit actualul Academician dl I.Dediu, doctor habilitat in biologie, ecolog renumit, au fost argumentate stiintific si organizate in teritoriu 10 agentii ecologice pe zone naturale asa cum o cere ecologia. Trecerea de la fostele comitete pe protectia mediului la Departament si agentii n-a fost deloc usoara. Fostele comitete se foloseau in activitatea lor de fosta legislatie sovietica, care in conditiile noi nu mai corespundea realitatii. Deci, noile agentii activau practic fara o baza legislativa bine aranjata. Departamentul a fost nevoit in ritm rapid sa intocmeasca si sa elaboreze baza legislativa noua, lucru deloc simplu, care se efectua paralel cu activitatea in teren. Odata cu crearea bazei legislative s-a imbunatatit si activitatea agentiilor ecologice in teren. La noi insa cind totul se normalizeaza nu-i normal. Odata cu inlocuirea academicianului I.Dediu la postul de director general al Departamentului s-au inceput si modificarile agentiilor, insa principiul zonal a fost pastrat. Dat fiind, ca orisice schimbare se refera mai mult la cadre decit la teritoriu fiecare reforma isi lasa adinc amprenta in activitatea de serviciu. Orice reforma este insotita de disponibilizare si angajare, urmate de atestari, cu alte cuvinte cadrele sint stresate permanent. Aceasta situatie nici de cum nu favorizeaza eficacitatea lucrului, in schimb distruge nervii angajatilor. Ultima reforma, si cea mai drastica a avut loc in 2003, in rezultatul careia au ramas 4 agentii: Nord, Centru, Sud si Gagauzia. In temeiul Hotaririi Guvernului Republicii Moldova nr.735 din 16.06.03 ?Cu privire la structura si efectivul-limita ale serviciilor publice desconcentrate ale ministerelor, departamentelor si altor autoritati administrative centrale" la 01.07.03 a fost organizata Agentia Ecologica Centru cu
sediul in municipiul Chisinau. In cadrul Agentiei Ecologice Centru au fost incluse: ATE Centru, AE Municipala, ATE Orhei, ATE Lapusna, ATE Tighina, ATE Ungheni – in total 15 raioane si municipiul Chisinau. Agentia nou formata inca e tinara (2,5 ani) dar s-a stabilit si functioneaza eficient.

Da, neajunsuri sint in activitatea serviciului ecologic, dar asta nu-i vina structurii, trebuie sa avem barbatie si sa privim lucrurilor in ochi, realitatea e alta. Intr-o tara cu cioburi de economie, nu poate exista o ecologie perfecta. Amatorii de reforme ar fi cazul sa analizeze mai profund situatia creata nepatinitor si cu cunostinta de cauza, in gura nu ti se face dulce chiar si daca repeti de mai multe ori cuvintul ?zahar", exact asa e si cu profesia, fara studii speciale nu devii popa chiar de esti numit in functie de Papa de la Roma.

Ar aduce imbunatatiri considerabile in activitatea IES perfectarea si racordarea legislatiei existente la cea Europeana (deoarece parca am dori sa ne integram si noi acolo), egalarea tuturor reprezentantilor societatii de la Vladica la Opinca in fata legii, dotarea tehnica si asigurarea protectiei sociale a inspectorilor, salarizarea acestora suta la suta din buget, propagarea pe larg a cunostintelor ecologice in societate si introducerea lor obligatorie in toate institutiile de invatamint de la cresa la Academie, etc.

Reforma efectuata recent de noua conducere a IES nu-i menita sa amelioreze activitatea serviciilor, dar sa supuna inspectorii la noi stresuri, sa dubleze numarul acestora, care vor fi salarizati numai 50 la suta din buget, fiindca statul nu dispune de mai multi bani, sa distruga din nou stabilitatea obtinuta cu atita greu si mai mult nimic. Ea nicidecum nu urmareste imbunatatirea protectiei mediului inconjurator, ea va intensifica degradarea de mai departe a acestuia. Asemenea reforma are un caracter pronuntat Antieuropean si este menita sa destabilizeze activitatea organelor de control in respectarea legislatiei ecologice ceea ce este la cheremul infractorilor si a braconierilor.

Structura propusa actualmente nu este bazata pe un principiu logic sanatos. Au fost create ?Inspectii ecologice? in fiecare raion cu dublarea numarului de colaboratori (acestea-s fostele comitete raionale de protectia mediului pe timpul URSS) si ?Agentii ecologice? in or. Chisinau, Balti si Cahul. Componenta si numarul inspectorilor in ambele structuri este identica. in asa caz de ce sunt necesare doua denumiri? Autorii reformei sustin, ca in componenta agentiilor intra laboratoarele? Laboratoare sint si la Ungheni, Orhei, Causeni. De ce aceste servicii sint Inspectii da nu Agentii? De ce cele patru Agentii numai cea din Gagauzia este subiect juridic cu contabilitate si cu cont personal in banca? Pe ce criterii a fost stabilita prioritatea acestora? Deocamdata raspuns nu-i fiindca nu-i nici logica.

Reincadrarea cadrelor in noile structuri in fosta Agentie Centru s-a efectuat cu incalcarea brutala a Codului Muncii. Dosarele personale n-au fost examinate, nu s-a tinut cont de calitatile profesionale a inspectorilor nici de starea lor sociala, etc. in asa mod din AE Centru au fost excluse 21 de persoane dintre care femei singuratice cu copii mici, femei care se afla pe buletin, specialisti tineri valorosi ? 11, persoane cu staj de lucru de 16 ani in ecologie.

Din fostele servicii ecologice raionale au fost destituiti fara motivare seful SER Cimislia dl M.Tampiza care lucreaza din 1988 in ecologie, sefi tineri, perspectivi a SER Straseni si SER Ungheni. in acelasi timp a ramas in postura de sef dl D.Cornei la Hancesti, care n-a sustinut atestarea si are multiple incalcari ale legislatiei ecologice? Acesta-i principiu de selectare a cadrelor? Din AE Centru doi doctori in stiinta cu atestat in domeniul ecologiei au fost concediati ca pensionari, in Inspectoratul Ecologic de Stat sta in postura de consultant si initiator al reformei, fara nici un titlu stiintific pensionarul V.Egorov, iar in laboratorul Agentiei Chisinau pensionara dna M.Egorova ? sotia dumnealui. La conducerea Inspectiei ecologice Straseni este avansat pensionarul V.Puscas? De care principiu s-au condus nasii reformei? Faramitate organele de control, nerespectand principiile ecologice, in conditiile finantarii din buget numai a 50 la suta din necesitatile salariale va da nastere la fenomene negative in randul inspectorilor. Ambitiile amatorilor de reforme au castigat, dar ce a castigat Natura, care a fost data la cheremul celor care permanent o violeaza? Asta-i pregatirea pentru integrarea in Uniunea Europeana, pentru care protectia mediului este problema prioritara de prim rang?

Este cazul ca organele abilitate si in primul rand responsabilii din Guvern si Parlamentul RM sa analizeze profund si sa puna punct acestor ambitii de a restructura cu orice pret. Orice reforma trebuie sa serveasca ameliorarea Naturii, nu ambitiile si interesele unor persoane.

Plopul…

Din punct de vedere ecologic Plopul este foarte important. in urba acesti arbori sant reprezentati de trei specii. Plopul piramidal, alb si canadian. Dintre acestea numai femelele din specia canadiana produc ?puful? (in realitate acestea-s semintele) atat de sacaitor pentru multe persoane, in rest, ceilalti arbori nu provoaca aceste incomoditati.

Şi asa zisul ?puf? se mentine pe parcursul unei luni, in restul perioadei de vegetatie si acesti arbori isi aduc aportul la purificarea aerului, fabricarea oxigenului, micsorarea poluarii fonice si a arsitei. Ca ?fabrici verzi? arborii de plop sant campioni. Daca spre exemplu, egalam capacitatea de purificare a unui arbore de molid (brad) cu 100 % apoi productivitatea unui arbore de pin este de 160 %, tei – 250 %, stejar – 450 %, plop ? 700 %.

Alta specie mai productiva nu exista. Din aceste considerente plopul este de neanlocuit. insa in afara de ?puful? mentionat plopul mai are si alte neajunsuri pentru conditiile urbane: arborii sant de dimensiuni considerabile, longivitatea vietii 30 – 40 de ani, fragilitatea lemnului sporita, ceea ce-i face periculosi pentru mediul inconjurator in conditiile orasenesti. Da, in Chisinau pe vremuri au fost plantati prea multi pomi de plop, varsta majoritatii acestor arbori depaseste 45 – 50 de ani, adica au atins varsta cand orice vant puternic ii poate dobori, cauzand distrugeri serioase a obiectivelor din anturaj. inlocuirea lor cu alte specii este inevitabila, dar modul efectuarii acestei operatii trebuie sa fie altul, bine chibzuit si esalonat in timp. Deci nu arborii sant vinovati, vinovati sant oamenii, care i-au amplasat haotic si excesiv. Majoritatea acestor arbori au trebuit sa fie plantati in centura verde a urbei si mai putin in oras. Spre regret Primaria nici pana in prezent nu are un Plan perspectiv de inverzire a orasului. Din aceasta cauza normativele de inverzire a diferitor intreprinderi nu sant respectate, arborii sant plantati cu incalcarea normativelor, prea aproape de peretii cladirilor, pe conductele de apa, gaz, cablurile electruce, etc.

a) Plantatiile verzi, care intra in componenta urbei contemporane joaca un rol important in formarea aspectului arhitectorial al localitatii, in functionarea teritoriilor orasenesti, amelioreaza conditiile igieno-sanitare si viata populatiei.
Elementele principale ale inverzirii sant parcurile de odihna polifunctionale. Parcurile orasenesti se organizeaza reiesind din limita 75 ? 100 m2 la fiecare vizitator. Parcul trebuie sa fie o gradina permanent infloritoare. Anume pe acest principiu se selecteaza speciile forestiere si de arbusti in structura spatiilor verzi.

Suprafata plantatiilor verzi a raioanelor selitibe e determinata de numarul populatiei, reiesind din suprafata de 9 m2 necesara unei persoane.

Suprafata plantatiilor verzi pe teritoriul gradinitelor de copii trebuie sa fie de 18-24 m2 la un copil, la intreprinderile industriale ? 15-20 % din teritoriu. O deosebita importanta au spatiile verzi pe teritoriul spitalelor, sanatoriilor, etc ? 70 % din suprafata, dar la un bolnav trebuie sa revina nu mai putin de 50 m2 la un bolnav.

Cele mentionate mai sus ne indica la faptul, ca atat inverzirea, cat si defrisarea trebuiesc executate pe baza unui proiect bine argumentat ca sa putem exclude erorile care au fost mentionate.

Da, Plopii in marea majoritate trebuiesc inlocuiti da nu in asa mod, nu haotic si nu toti odata. Mai intai trebuie eliberat orasul de arborii bolnavi si deteriorati, de toate speciile, care nu-si indeplinesc functiile ecologice si apoi de revenit la plopi! Arborii trebuie sa fie minutios examinati, intocmite acte de control, procese-verbale si de obtinut prin lamurire acordul populatiei. Oamenii sant intelegatori, ar fi cazul sa constientizeze si demnitarii care au declansat razboil impotriva plopilor. Daca dezgolim orasul de acesti arbori in numarul preconizat (8800 bucati), atunci arsita de vara si gazele de esapament au sa coseasca din plin populatia, indeosebi acea cu probleme de sanatate.

Renewable Energy Potential for New Mexico

With consumer natural gas prices more than doubling in the past four years, 650 New Mexicans have joined 50,000 other Americans in pressing Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M) to reduce gas prices by increasing development of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.

Senator Domenici, Chair of the Senate Energy Committee, held a hearing on the issue this week. Earlier versions of the senator’s energy bill focused on increasing drilling in sensitive areas and expanding subsidies for polluting fossil fuels while giving short shrift to clean energy solutions like the renewable electricity standard.

"Extracting enough natural gas to supply the U.S. for less than a day does not justify the destruction of hunting and fishing paradises like the Valle Vidal," said Ellery Worthen, lifelong hunter and secretary of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. "I hope that Senator Domenici will support the average New Mexico citizen by supporting clean energy alternatives."

The analysis found that a national renewable electricity standard of 20 percent by 2020 would produce benefits for New Mexico such as:

– 4,760 new high-skilled jobs in manufacturing, construction, operation, maintenance, and other industries-2.7 times more jobs than new natural gas and coal power plants would create
– $1.6 billion in capital investment
– $117 million in property tax re?enues for rural communities
– $57 million in payments to ranchers and rural landowners from wind power leases and the production of biomass energy

A 10 percent standard similar to the one twice-passed by the U.S. Senate would yield more moderate benefits, including $250 million in consumer savings, 790 new jobs, $948 million in capital investment, and $69 million in new property tax revenues for rural communities.

"New Mexico can reduce natural gas prices, save consumers money, create jobs, and boost rural economic development by tapping into its strong renewable energy potential," said Kate Abend, Energy Field Coordinator for the Union of Concerned Scientists. "New Mexico has the technical potential to meet nearly 22 times its electricity needs with renewable energy."

In addition to benefiting New Mexico, the study found that nationally, a 20 percent standard would create 355,000 new jobs, save consumers $49 billion on their energy bills, add $10 billion to the country’s gross domestic product, and provide $16 billion in payments to farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners. The electricity standard would also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 15 percent below the business-as-usual case. The same policy would cut smog, soot, and mercury emissions from fossil fuel power plants and reduce harmful water and land impacts of extracting, transporting, and using fossil fuels.

MindBomb, (noua) campanie pentru Rosia Montana

GUVERNELE TREC, ŞPAGA RĂMÂNE
Stralucirea aurului corupe indiferent de culoarea politica. Puterea si opozitia fac regula la Rosia Montana si se comporta la fel cand curge banul. A nesocoti parerea unor institutii precum Academia Romana si Biserica – parteneri in reconstructia sociala a Romaniei – e ignoranta si prostie. Sau pur si simplu coruptie?

[url=http://ro.altermedia.info/images/coruptie.jpg][Poster 1][/url]

MA$$ACRU MEDIA PREZINTĂ SOLUŢIA LUI GABRIEL: CIANURA

Difuzarea, in ziare si la televiziune a reclamelor pentru Gabriel, incalca drepturile oamenilor din Rosia Montana.
NU FI PĂRTAŞ LA MINCIUNĂ!
REFUZĂ PUBLICITATEA LA CIANURĂ!

Publicitatea pentru Gabriel Resources (firma cu sediul in paradisul fiscal Barbados) difuzata in massmedia din Romania, ne prezinta o Rosia Montana pustiita, bolnava. Cine a fost la Rosia Montana stie ca e o minciuna televizata. O imagine falsa ii favorizeaza pe cei care, pana ieri, nici macar nu stiau unde e Romania pe harta lumii. in schimb, cei care cred intr-o Rosia Montana prospera, in care sa traiasca multi ani inainte vor ramane victimele lor.

Televiziunea Romana, finantata din banii nostrii, este partener a strategiei mediatice murdare a RMGC. Prin acest act, TVR isi compromite misiunea de televiziune publica.
Cum ar fi sa-ti platesti lunar calaul?!

Consiliul National al Audiovizualului nu vede nici o problema in publicitatea falsa pentru Gabriel. Daca nu injura nimeni pe post e OK, CNA nu are azi de lucru.

[url=http://ro.altermedia.info/images/masacru.jpg][Poster 2][/url][…]]]>

Plantari inlocuite cu defrisari

Au fost prezenti la intrunire, specialisti si functionari ecologici: Dionisie Boaghie ( sef al Laboratorului Silvicultura al Institutului de Cercetari si Amenajari Silvice); Mihai Mirza (Conferentiar, Catedra de Botanica si Silvicultura al USM); Alexei Palancean (Sef al Laboratorului Dendrologie al Gradinii Botanice <Institut> a ASM; Gheorghe Tirsu (Medic igienist al Centrului Natianal Stiintifico- Practic de Medicina Preventiva); Galina Manjilovschi (Colaborator al Parcului Dentrologic Chisinau); Vladimir Ciobanu ( Director- Adjunct al Agentiei Ecologice Chisinau ). Acestia au polarizat atentia asupra inverzirii spatiilor locative, au discutat si au venit cu propuneri.
Alexei Palancean face aluzie la specimenul unui ? program national?, care, precizeaza dumnealui ? ar putea fi baza asociatiilor spatiilor verzi si a pepeneritului?.
La realizarea acestui program trebuie sa se tina cont de cateva repere:
1. inventarierea arborilor si arbustilor si aprecierea categoriei de varsta;
2. de asociat speciile care absorb activ aerul poluat;
3. normativele de plantare pentru orasul sudic (pentru a vedea cata plantatie este necesara).
La finalizarea discursului, Palancean ne spune ferm si categoric: [i]?suntem gata sa-l efectuam?[/i].
Discursul domnului Vladimir Ciobanu s-a comprimat pe ? Aspectele legale privind reconstructia spatiilor verzi urbane?. Astfel, evoca continutul articolului 40 al legislatiei, conform caruia [u]? este interzisa si se sanctioneaza vatamarea sau taierea arborilor, fara autorizatia autoritatii centrale?[/u].
A fost deja formata o comisie, a fost elaborat un program de masuri in baza caruia este exercitata taierea si pentru viitor se prevede sistematizarea unui plan, care va supraveghea reusita prinderii.
Va reamintim, ca municipalitatea si-a propus ca [b]pentru anul 2006 sa taie 6000 de plopi[/b] ( in prima etapa) cu scopul de a evita bolile pe care acestea le-ar putea cauza ( bronsita, bolile de piele …) in perioada mai ? iunie, cind femelele dau puf.

ECOTOPIA 2006

Zajezka este o mica comunitate rurala, cu cateva asezari omenesti imprastiate, unde locuesc in jur de 40 de persoanae. Mai multe informatii despre mica localitate gasiti la adresa [url=http://www.zajezka.sk]www.zajezka.sk[/url]
Tema ECOTOPIEI va fi Activitate si Arta, program ce va acoperi diverse tematici.

Mai multe informatii despre ECOTOPIA 2006 gasiti la adresa [url=http://www.eyfa.org/ecotopia]www.eyfa.org/ecotopia[/url]

PTC Didn’t Keep Good Wind Down

Total new additions were down sharply from the highs in the boom years of 2001, 1,696 MW, and 2003, 1,687 MW. But at year’s end, the trade group said, utility-scale wind installations in 30 states across the country totaled 6,740 MW, enough to serve more than 1.6 million households.

The small but burgeoning industry is hard at work planning projects that should make 2005 a record year in terms of new wind generating capability in the U.S. According to AWEA, over 2,000 MW of new wind power capacity is likely to be added during the coming year, or enough to power more than 540,000 homes. The most recent extension of the federal wind energy production tax credit (PTC) by Congress in October, 2004, teed up 2005 for an impressive growth spurt, which should bring economic development activity in rural areas, more diversity to the nation’s generating mix to reduce fuel price volatility, and clear environmental benefits to a nation that continues to demand new electricity sources.

AWEA executive director Randall Swisher said the association will continue to push for a multi-year extension of the existing PTC. Under current law, the credit will expire at the end of 2005, which could slow the industry again.

"The short-term duration of the federal production tax credit (PTC) and its repeated expirations – three in the past six years – are keeping this industry from reaching its potential to supply the nation with clean, domestic electricity," Swisher said.

Highlights of the current wind energy market outlook, according to AWEA, include:

– Wind farms already in place and those that will be installed by the end of 2005 could save over half a billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas per day in 2006. Using conservative growth estimates of 3,000 MW installed every two years for the next four years, the U.S. could top 15,000 MW of installed wind power capacity by the end of 2009, which would save nearly 0.9 Bcf per day by the end of this decade. Natural gas shortages and p?ice volatility have become an increasingly familiar part of the national energy scene over the past few years.

– In 2004, seven states plus the District of Columbia passed renewable portfolio standard (RPS) legislation requiring utilities to provide a certain minimum amount of power from renewable sources such as wind and solar, bringing the total to eighteen states and the District. The citizens of Colorado made it the first state to pass an RPS by popular referendum, endorsing a measure under which Colorado’s top utilities must obtain 10 percent of the state’s power needs from renewables by 2015.

– Wind power continues to attract global power companies. In September, international power plant developer AES Corp. announced its first step into the U.S. wind market, an equity investment in US Wind Force. AES also announced on January 11 that it plans to follow that investment up with the purchase of SeaWest Holdings, a large West-coast wind project developer. The main reason cited for the SeaWest deal was that the company sees strong potential in wind as a new and expanding source of electricity. Global power generation giant Siemens announced in October that it would purchase wind turbine manufacturer Bonus Energy A/S. The company said it decided to become a wind turbine manufacturer to merge Bonus’s well-regarded technology with Siemens’ experience with large- scale utility projects.

– More than 500 utilities in 34 states now offer green pricing programs, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and over 1,500 MW of wind power are currently serving the green power market.

– Project announcements for 2005 are rolling in. Four of the top five largest projects announced for construction this year are 200 MW or larger, including the 240-MW Flat Rock Phase I project in New York, the 220-MW Wild Horse project in Washington, the 200-MW Forward Wind Power project in Wisconsin, and the 200- MW Fenton project in Minnesota.

CONFERINTA INTERNATIONALA

Sunt invitati studenti, tineri cercetatori din R. Moldova carora li se asigura transportul, masa si cazarea in Bucuresti.
Se va face o introducere in Metode moderne (optice-microscopie confocala si electrochimice
-e.g., spectroscopie de impedanta) de caracterizare a Biosistemelor si Bio-suprafetelor, cu participarea unor specialisti din: Anglia, Austria, Bulgaria, Belgia, Elvetia, Franta, Germania, Italia, Japonia, Polonia, Romania, Rusia, Singapore, Ucraina, Ungaria.

Prezentari:
– Metode analitice moderne de investigare a biosistemelor & biosuprafetelor dezvoltare de biosenzori si platforme biomimetice & Aplicatii Practice ale acestora.
– tehnici experimentale de ultima ora in electrofiziologie.
– modelarea matematica/fizica/numerica a bio-sistemelor investigate.

[b]Cerinte pentru participare la eveniment:[/b]
– sa fie student, tinar cercetator la bio-fizica, inginerie medicala sau chimie;
– sa fie vorbitor de engleza deoarece toata activitatea la conferinta se va face in limba engleza;
– sa trimita un CV si scrisoare de intentie in limba engleza la adresa [email]egheorghie@biodyn.ro[/email] <mailto:egheorghie@biodyn.ro>

Doritorii de aparticipa la eveniment sunt rugati sa contacteze organizatorii cit mai urgent. Exista un numar limitat de locuri fara plata pentru care puteti aplica.

[b]Date de contact:[/b]
The International Centre of Biodynamics
Calea Plevnei 46-48
010233 Bucharest, Romania
Phone:(+40)21-3104354, (+40)21-3104364
Fax: (+40)21-3104361
[url=http://www.biodyn.ro]www.biodyn.ro[/url]
[url=http://www.biodyn.ro]http://www.biodyn.ro[/url]
mailto:egheorghie@biodyn.ro
mailto:egheorghie@biodyn.ro

U.S. Lawmakers, Solar Industry Push for Change

At a Capitol Hill briefing, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), representing over 700 companies and 20,000 employees in the US solar industry, unveiled a report entitled, "Our Solar Power Future: The US Photovoltaic Industry Roadmap for 2030 and beyond."

The jobs and economy benefits of renewables were a major point that resonated with Congressional lawmakers.

"Solar power can play an important role in fueling America’s future economic growth," Senator James Jeffords (I-VT) said. "It can provide a clean, renewable and inexpensive source of energy while simultaneously creating new high-tech jobs."

Noting that the U.S. has lagged behind Europe and Japan in solar industry manufacturing and deployment, the Roadmap called for Congress to enact sustained, annually declining tax credits for solar deployment on homes and business.

"Currently, there are no federal tax incentives for homeowners to have solar on their homes," said Rhone Resch, SEIA president. "With the incentives in this Roadmap, we would see a dramatic expansion in US solar markets, with installed capacity of 200 gigawatts in the US by 2030."

The proposed Roadmap would lower retail solar electricity prices from the current rate of 18 to 25 cents per kWh to 5.7 cents per kWh in 10years, making solar the least-cost retail option. Solar would provide half of all new electricity generation by 2025 under this scenario.

In addition, the Roadmap strategy would generate 60,000 U.S. solar industry jobs, and more than $34 billion in new manufacturing investments over the next 10 years. By 2030, the U.S. solar industry could employ 260,000 people.

Several lawmakers enthusiastically supported the Roadmap.

Congressman Charles F. Bass (R-NH) said he would use every opportunity as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to advocate the Roadmap’s targets as a minimum of what is possible.

"Solar energy will be a practical and cost efficient component of the United States’ energy mix," Rep Bass said. "It will also be a driver of economic growth and high- paying jobs, a tool for sound environmental stewardship, and a new pillar for distributing generation as a means toward greater grid reliability. I am committed to working with the industry to keep Congress’s attention focused on the role photovoltaics can play in our broader national energy strategy."

Congressman Zack Wamp (R-TN) had positive words for the future of the industry and s?id he plans on using his position on capital hill to advocate for solar.

"The acceleration of renewable energy technologies and the increase in support for solar must be key ingredients to the Congress’s plan for energy independence," said Congressman Wamp. "As co-chairman of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, and as point man for energy issues on the House Policy Committee, I plan to aggressively pursue a sharper focus on energy efficiency and energy conservation in the 109thCongress."

With natural gas demand and prices skyrocketing, much of the briefing focused on the role solar could play in easing the natural gas crunch. SEIA’s Rhone Resch estimated that solar power would displace 6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas by 2025 under the Roadmap scenario, saving American consumers approximately $60 billion.

"We have the highest natural gas prices in the world," Resch said. "Solar is the perfect technology to displace a portion of the natural gas demand and relieve some of the tightness in the natural gas markets. It can directly displace the need for peaking and intermediate gas plants, because solar power is greatest from 10 to 4 every day – the time that the grid experiences peak power demand."