Turning Green: Ted Turner on Solar

Ted Turner is out once again, ready to lead the world. The media mogul sat down in an exclusive one-on-one with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer earlier this month and spoke about his ongoing interests in renewable energy and green jobs.

Since stepping back from his role in the wheelhouse at Time Warner in 2003, the cable news pioneer has devoted himself to projects he believes in, investing as though the future of the world depended on it – and it just might.

Turner has partnered with The Southern Company to develop what he says is “the largest solar installation in the United States” a 30 megawatt plant in northern NM which will be able to power 14,000 homes . Slated for completion by the end of this year, The Southern Turner Renewable Energy project will be managed and operated by First Solar, a leader in thin film module manufacturing, and will consist of an array of 500,000 PV solar modules using First Solar’s technology. The facility and related infrastructure will create thousands of jobs.

When asked about his support of the proposed Kerry-Lieberman energy legislation and the dangers that advocates for renewable energy might face if Congressional control is turned over to Republicans in the fall, Turner was confident that the benefits of greening the grid will transcend party politics. “I really believe this is a non-partisan issue,” Turner said. I believe that the Republicans deep down, they want the jobs to be here in the United States instead of the Middle East. They want us to have financial security and create jobs here in America; this is a non-partisan no-brainer bill.”

photo: FrontPage Magazine