NYTimes: Looking at Europe’s Green Ways

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/business/energy-environment/24iht-green25web.html

May 24, 2009
Green Inc. Column

Looking at Europe’s Green Ways

By KATE GALBRAITH

NEW YORK — When Chicago’s mayor, Richard Daley, visited Germany some years ago, he was struck by the concept of “green roofs” — flourishing gardens atop homes and businesses. He came back to Chicago and founded the most ambitious green roof program in the United States.

Edward Regan, an assistant general manager at Gainesville Regional Utilities in Florida, spent 10 days in Germany last year on a trip with other utility executives. Among the things that struck him were Germany’s “feed-in tariffs” — requirements that utilities pay a fixed, above-market price to producers of renewable power. Upon returning to the United States, Gainesville implemented the first citywide feed-in tariff in the United States.

“I was just pretty excited about what I saw,” said Mr. Regan, who was also struck by the sense of optimism and activity that surrounded clean-energy endeavors in Germany.

As the United States begins building its version of a green economy, ideas are flowing fast and furiously across the Atlantic. The exchange is certain to intensify as initiatives in Washington to combat global warming and promote renewable energy gather speed. Just last week, President Barack Obama moved to raise fuel efficiency standards, and a landmark climate bill won passage through a key committee in the House of Representatives.

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