Reid proud of Nevada’s renewable energy progress

Sen. Harry Reid on Friday told a clean-energy luncheon he was proud of the progress Nevada has made during the past few years in developing renewable energy and attracting new businesses.

Southern Nevada especially has become a mecca for solar energy development, although the electric car company Tesla is building a $5 billion battery factory in Northern Nevada as well, he noted.

“Las Vegas is becoming known for being the best place in America for business,” said the Nevada Democrat, ticking off big companies that have located here such as Switch, Google and Apple. “These companies are creating real jobs and putting Nevada on the map as a technology leader.”

Reid was speaking to a clean-energy luncheon organized by the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance with about 230 guests.

He said he was glad to be back in Nevada during a congressional break and that he was still recovering from a New Year’s exercise accident that blinded him in one eye. Some stretchy bands apparently broke, launching him into some cabinets and breaking bones in his face.

“I can’t see out of my right eye,” said Reid, who wore dark glasses. “But your brain adjusts and I’m getting used to that perception. … I’m getting a lot better. It could be a lot worse.”

Reid recently announced that he planned to retire from the Senate instead of running for a sixth term in 2016. But he told the business leaders that he wanted to first work to renew tax incentives for renewable energy projects because they have proved a boon to Nevada’s economy and economic development. They’re also good for cleaner air, he said.

Reid criticized naysayers, including the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s editorial board, for saying clean energy doesn’t create enough jobs.

He said $6 billion has been invested in clean-energy projects in Nevada, which account for 20,000 workers today compared to 14,000 employees in the mining industry.

He said the newspaper had written “the most moronic editorials” arguing clean energy wasn’t a good investment and it’s upsetting “the state’s largest newspaper has done everything it could to rain on the opportunities.”

“We’re really happy with what’s been happening with renewable energy in Nevada,” Reid said, adding Tesla chose to locate in Nevada because of “the opportunity to develop renewable energy.”

“I think that probably tipped the scales over Texas,” he said, mentioning a top state competitor for the Tesla battery factory.

“The advances we made in Nevada are the result of hard work. Nevada’s progress in this field didn’t just happen by accident,” he said, adding that it took major investments.

Reid praised Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval for working to attract Tesla and other renewable energy projects. He also complimented the new owners of NV Energy, saying the power company is working more to develop renewable energy in Nevada and Iowa with wind power.

“We need to continue what we do best,” Reid said in closing his 11-minute speech. “No state in the union has the opportunity that we have. Clean energy is Nevada’s future.”

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Find her on Twitter: @lmyerslvrj.