Alternative Energy Sources and the Economy

Clean energy independence is becoming a major priority in the modern world. Increasing population has caused a major demand for energy independence and reliability. Non-renewable resources will eventually run out and cause energy prices to skyrocket, which will destroy the worlds infrastructure. Investing in clean energy will have a beneficial impact on our economy through job creation, energy independence, and increased investing. This must be dealt with soon, because if it is not, it will only become an even bigger problem.
Clean energy investment will increase job opportunity. The Obama administration has taken the initiative to do this, through the Stimulus Program and the American Clean Energy and Security Act. These programs alone are estimated to create about 1.7 million new job opportunities, even with the projected job loss from non-renewable resource cuts. These new jobs would lower The United States’ unemployment rate by a full 1%. Investing in clean energy would generate three times as many jobs by switching from non-renewable to renewable energy sources ("The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy"). Increased employment means less people relying on the government which would lower taxes and, in turn, allow Americans to keep more of their money. This would increase consumer spending.
In order to make sure the economy can continue to grow, it is a priority to secure energy independence. The many known natural sources of energy, such as sunlight, can provide substantial amounts of renewable power. This energy diversity can allow regions many options of energy production if they do not have a certain one. These sources could produce around 482,247 billion kilowatt-hours of clean and renewable energy, which is roughly 118 times the energy the United States uses alone ("Benefits of Renewable Energy Use | UCSUSA"). This clean energy abundance will destroy the need for costly conflicts and imports of oil. Decreased spending on homeland security and oil imports would dramatically reduce the debt (17.5 Trillion) and be well worth investment in clean energy.
Clean energy investment will send the energy industry through the roof and grow the economy. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Clean Energy and Security Act will also generate around 150 billion dollars in clean energy investments. This major spending is mainly coming from private sector investors. The U.S. Government has also subsidized many programs such as clean energy transportation ("The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy"). All of these new programs will promote investing in the clean energy sector, which will cause companies to compete and grow the economy.