As Barack Obama prepares to take office, many are wondering if he can maintain his campaign promises on investing in clean energy, given the magnitude of the economic crisis. He has already said that although he is not willing to give up the need to do it, there may be individual components of his $150bn clean energy investment plan that will take a hit.

Alternative energy sources such as wind and solar are already feeling the pinch of the credit crisis and falling energy prices. Shares in alternative energy companies have fallen more sharply than the rest of the stock market in recent months, according to the New York Times.

Several wind projects have been affected by the demise of Lehman Brothers, one of the top five wind lenders on Wall Street. Noble Environmental Power was forced into a fire sale of a still-under-development wind project in Michigan, although new owner John Deere Wind Energy says it plans to finish the 46-turbine scheme. NEP has also laid off workers and delayed two other Lehman-financed projects until at least next summer.

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