Today President Obama signed the stimulus bill at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. According to an NPR article, the site was chosen because of the recent installation of solar panels on the roof of the century old structure. Namaste Solar, based out of Boulder, Colorado, installed the 465 panel system on the southeast and southwest wings of the building. (Here is a diagram of the museum’s solar array.) The owner of Namaste Solar introduced President Obama stating that while his business had grown from 4 employees to 60, he had considered cutbacks before the stimulus bill. Now he plans to increase his staff by 20% next year and 40% overall as a result of the stimulus bill.

On the government’s recovery website, the first two points under #9 on the most frequently asked questions page, “What type of programs will this recovery package fund?”, are:

• Create a framework for clean, efficient, American energy
• Transform our economy with science and technology

These facets are the key to creating the foundation for a new energy economy and greening the grid. It is imperative that these components of the stimulus bill take hold in order to develop the infrastructure for a clean energy future.

- Eric Wilson