Obama feeling ‘feisty,’ ready to take on the ‘crazies’

The president embarked on a spirited defense of his administration’s policy to back the fast-expanding renewable energy industry in the US – launched as part of a spending program that was originally aimed at pulling the country out of the recession that followed the financial crisis of 2008 – and more recent moves to “reduce the unsafe emissions that contribute to climate change”.

“That’s not the American way”, the president said.

However, while the White House has won plaudits from green groups for its new clean power strategy Obama has continued to face criticism for his recent decision to allow Shell to drill in the Arctic.

President Obama’s remarks were preceded by introductions by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren and lead singer of The Killers, Brandon Flowers. “It’s for the green eyeshade crowd, too”.

The American economy grew under an old way of doing things, Obama said, when “we were less anxious about dependence on fossil fuel”.

“For decades we’ve been told it doesn’t make economic sense to switch to renewable energy”.

Opponents of renewable-heavy energy portfolios (Governor Jerry Brown has set a target of 50% renewable energy statewide by 2030) have long argued that solar is a risky basket in which to place one’s eggs.

“We’re all about saving energy here”, he said.

“The solar industry now employs twice as many Americans as mining coal”, the President said to applause.

Obama also announced the approval of a transmission line to support a planned 485-megawatt solar plant planned for Riverside County in California.

Nearly one-third of the energy used by California utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric comes from what the company president, Geisha Williams, called a renewable portfolio standard.

With one eye on a looming battle over power plant emissions limits, Obama took on fossil fuel supporters during a speech in the parched desert oasis of Las Vegas. His new actions include an additional $1 billion in federal loan guarantees for clean energy projects.

It would also be an important reset for Obama after his failure to secure a significant worldwide climate deal at the 2009 conference in Copenhagen during his first term, despite rushing there in person at the last minute to plead for progress.

Together, the two agencies announced a new scoring system that measures homes’ energy efficiency, along with plans to increase consumers’ borrowing power for buying efficient homes.

Wind power could provide as much as 35 percent of America’s electricity by 2050, with installations in all 50 states, Obama said.

While in Nevada, Obama also attended an evening fundraiser at the home of Las Vegas Sun publisher and businessman Brian Greenspun benefiting the Nevada State Democratic Party.