Government investment in clean energy a plus

The Hill

Following the July 24 announcement that public lands in six Western states have been set aside for new solar energy projects, scientific opinion polling in Colorado—one of those six states—indicates that the majority of its entrepreneurs agree government investments in clean energy technologies can stimulate the economy—even after being reminded of Solyndra’s bankruptcy.

A total of 285,000 acres in six states—Colorado, Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah—have been designated for the solar energy initiative announced last month. The plan would also speed up the approval of new solar projects and reduce a number of up-front costs for developers.

With entrepreneurs in Colorado showing strong support for government investments in clean energy, the solar road map laid for the state should come as welcome news to them. According to Small Business Majority’s latest opinion poll, nearly three-quarters of Colorado small business owners believe government investments in clean energy and energy efficiency play an important role in stimulating the economy and creating jobs now—while just 28 percent say such investments are a waste of money…