Governor Chet Culver is no longer pushing to make Iowa the renewable energy capitol of the world. "I’m committed to doing everything I can to make Iowa the best place in America when it comes to renewable energy and wind energy in particular," Culver says.
Culver’s on a trade trip in Europe, courting European companies that’re world leaders in the wind turbine industry and that may be why he’s changed his "world" view, so to speak.
"I’m encouraging our friends here in Europe to look to Iowa as being the central point, if you will, for wind energy in the United States," Culver says. During the 2006 campaign Culver repeatedly told Iowa audiences one of his goals as governor would be to make Iowa the renewable energy capitol of the world.
And it appears that once Culver returns to Iowa, he may again press Iowans to push for new frontiers that are beyond the country’s borders. "We are very excited about becoming the national leader and the world leader and we’re setting the bar very high," Culver says.
Culver’s visiting Germany, Denmark and Spain this week and by the end of his trip the governor will have met with the executives of 18 different companies that’re either producing wind turbines or making turbine parts.