Hillary Rodham Clinton has called for the nation's shift to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power on Sunday as part of a climate change initiative and to satisfy the clamor of the Democratic Party's liberal base for more aggressive efforts on environmentalism and climate change.
The presidential candidate also set a goal to generate sufficient amounts of renewable energy that would power every home across the U.S. within the next decade pledging to have over half a billion solar panels to be installed nationwide within four years after she is elected into office.
The goal would mark a 700 percent increase in the country's installed solar capacity and could eventually pave way to generation of at least a third of all electricity from renewable power sources.
"I want more wind, more solar, more advanced biofuels, more energy efficiency," Clinton said. "And I've got to tell you, people who argue against this are just not paying attention."
The former secretary of state proposed increasing the use of renewable energy through tax incentives. Clinton said that she supports extending the wind energy tax credit for shifting the country's energy system from one that relies on fossil fuels.
She also hinted of plans to impose changes on the coal industry albeit pledging for the help of the government to those making the transition as she cited coal miners for their role in creating an industrial revolution. Clinton said it is crucial to help these workers transition to a new economy.
"We need to get the incentives fixed in our tax system which as you know are too heavily weighted toward fossil fuels," Clinton said. "We can make a transition over time from a fossil fuel economy, predominantly, to a clean renewable energy economy, predominantly."
Clinton likewise said that she would fight attempts that aim to roll back President Barack Obama's executive actions to lessen the carbon emissions of power plants saying that the actions could build a clean energy economy that could encourage growth.
During her campaign in Iowa, the former first lady praised that state's efforts of promoting the use of renewable energy noting that Iowa sources 30 percent of its energy from wind. Windmills are in fact a common sight across the state.
Iowan also embraced advanced biofuels and established state tax rebates for those installing solar panels for businesses and homes.
Photo: Marc Nozell | Flickr
