Obama: ‘Together We Can Begin To See What A Clean Energy Future Will Look Like’

President Barack Obama
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President Obama spoke at a solar power plant in Arcadia, Florida moments ago, touting a solar energy project that he said is “the largest of its kind in the entire nation.”

Obama said the plan would “produce enough power to serve the entire city of Arcadia,” had created nearly 400 jobs and would, over three decades, save 575,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Obama said that’s the equivalent of pulling several thousands cars off the road every year for the duration of this project.

The president’s speech was pegged to the announcement of his administration making $3.4 billion available to more than 100 projects meant to modernize the power grid. Obama said such “smart” power projects would create thousands of jobs and make clean energy profitable.

“Together we can begin to see what a clean energy future will look like,” he said.

I’ve often said that the creation of such an economy is gonna require nothing less than the sustained effort of an entire nation, an all-hands-on-deck approach similar to the mobilization that preceded World War II.

The president also warned of lobbyist efforts to kill reform in the energy sector.

“It’s a debate between looking backwards and looking forward, between those who are ready to seize the future and those who are afraid of the future.”

“We’ve always been a people who were unafraid to reach for that more promising future,” Obama said.

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