Part of the problem is governmental intransigence. For the past eight years in particular, energy policy has been driven by the oil companies (Environmental News Service, 2008), resulting in clean energy having been sidelined. Another reason is that there is significant opposition from other parties as well. Business groups have opposed clean energy measures, citing fears about higher energy costs (Dorschner, 2008). These groups have proven powerful enough to stall clean energy legislation.

Some states have limited ability to generate renewable energy sources of their own. Powerful industry trade groups such as the Edison Energy Institute have claimed that the public utilities of those states would, under clean energy initiatives, be "forced to buy higher-cost renewable energy from other suppliers." (Dorschner, 2008). There has also been considerable difficulty in getting governments to act. Texas is the nation's leading generator of wind energy, yet the Texas Senate has repeatedly refused to...
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