Solar Citizen, May 22, 2014

SOLARTODAY

Still Time to Halt Ohio Anti-Renewables Bill

299px-Ohio_Statehouse_columbus

Ohio House, which was scheduled to vote on SB 310 on Wednesday, May 21, has postponed action until Tuesday, May 27.

The bill would stall phase-in of the state’s renewable electricity and efficiency standards. Lobbying against the bill, by renewable energy advocates, is said to have motivated the vote delay.

Green Energy Ohio, the Ohio chapter of the American Solar Energy Society, urges Ohio residents to phone their Ohio House representative (find your representative at http://www.ohiohouse.gov/index), and to call Governor Kasich’s office at 614-466-3558. More

Clean Jobs Growth Fell in Q1

WASHINGTON (May 22, 2014) – Congressional inaction on key clean energy tax policies, coupled with attacks on state renewable energy programs, led to a dramatic decline in clean energy job announcements in the first quarter of this year, according to the latest report from the nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2).

About 5,600 clean energy and clean transportation jobs were announced in the first three months of this year, down from 12,000 such jobs reported in the comparable period in 2013.

A major geothermal project in Idaho accounted for the most clean energy jobs announced on the state level in the first quarter. Idaho was followed by more traditional clean energy leaders. The remaining states in the Top 10 were: Texas, California, Missouri, New York, Kansas, Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Despite adding thousands of new jobs to the economy, the dramatic drop in clean energy and clean transportation job announcements in the quarter is a clear reflection of mixed signals American businesses  are getting from Capitol Hill and state capitals when it comes to policies such as the federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) and various state-level renewable energy standards (RES), according to E2.

“Congress pulled the plug on smart clean energy tax policies at the end of last year, while in the states, lawmakers are getting bullied by special interests that don’t want our country to produce more clean, renewable energy,” said E2 executive director Bob Keefe. “Guess who’s suffering as a result? American workers and businesses.”

Keefe added:  “Given the muddied policy environment on clean energy, low overall jobs numbers were expected. Fortunately, it’s not too late for lawmakers to steer clean energy and clean transportation job growth back on track. More

 Read SOLAR TODAY Online!

Did you know that you can read back issues of SOLAR TODAY, in digital format, online?

The upcoming May/June issue will feature our annual round-up of efficient cars, this year focusing on the newest electric-drive and plug-in hybrids from all the major manufacturers. Don’t miss it! Subscribe today by joining the American Solar Energy Society.

UPCOMING EVENTS

ASES celebrates 60 Years of Science in 2014. Join us at SOLAR 2014 (the National Solar Conference), in San Francisco, July 6-10.

Registration is open now!

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Solar Citizen is a program of the American Solar Energy Society.

Copyright 2014 by the American Solar Energy Society

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