Reinventing Power: America’s Renewable Energy Boom is a documentary directed by Tony Valentino, recently shown as part of the Vermont Lieutenant Governor’s film series, about renewable energy.   It portrays people who have transitioned into working in renewable energy after starting out in other industries.  This includes a former coal miner who now works in solar energy and a former autoworker who now works in wind energy.   In addition, it also shows parts of the country where renewable energy has become an important part of transitioning away from fossil fuels.  This includes an offshore wind farm on Block Island, Rhode Island, other wind farms in Montana and North Carolina, and an electric bus factory in Lancaster, California.

The film is effective in showing the economic potential of renewable energy in terms of providing jobs and transitioning away from fossil fuels.   The film mentioned monitoring birds in the Block Island wind farm and briefly touched on noise concerns.  However, it by and large did not address siting issues or concerns with the negative impacts.   Fossil fuels are major contributors to air and water pollution as well as the main driver of climate change.    While it is important to show the benefits of renewable energy, it is equally necessary to include all aspects of the issue.