Members of German Bundestag Visit University of Denver; Renewable Energy in Germany and the U.S. Discussed

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure to meet with three members of the German Bundestag, who were in Denver for a series of meetings. The German Bundestag is the national Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its seat is the Reichstag Building in Berlin. As the strongest economy and largest population in the European Union, Germany has played, and continues to play, a major role in discussions about EU energy policy.

One of the subjects that we discussed is the difference in how the U.S. and Germany (and the European Union more generally) see the relationship between the environment and energy and jobs. One of the German parliamentarians explained that in his country the "link" between green energy and jobs is widely accepted. In this regard, the German Consul General for Los Angeles pointed out that Siemens, a major German engineering firm, has invested widely outside of Germany, including in Colorado where the firm has a wind turbine research center just outside of Denver.

The Germans, Danes, and Spanish, in particular, have invested significant public and private monies in the development of renewable energy. (In the eyes of many experts, European-based firms have most successfully deployed renewable energy technologies.) Luckily for us, many of their investments are in Colorado, the U.S. center of "the new energy economy."

Stay tuned for more news about Denver Law and renewable energy. It is no accident that we are moving smartly ahead in this key energy sector. Prospective students interested in renewable energy law and policy should strongly consider Denver Law.

Don C. Smith
Director
Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy