Mark Muro

The outcome of the election will have an influence on the pace of growth in [clean energy] industries. If the nation and states weaken the policy framework, the industry uptick and need for workers will stagnate.

Supported by subsidies but also by rapid technical advances, onshore wind and solar photovoltaic installations are way up, and the price of delivered renewable energy is way down ... Wind and solar need the help because the barriers for new technologies in the energy industry are tougher than those in any other industry in this country.

States really are more or less on their own if they want to pursue a large scale-up of low-carbon energy solutions. [Green banks are] a worthy experiment in trying to make limited state revenues go farther.