Source: http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/potential-for-19-million-renewable-energy-jobs/

It has been released in a report by Environmental Entrepreneurs that companies and communities across the country announced that more than 300 clean energy and clean transportation projects in 2012 are expected to create 110,000 jobs. Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is a nationwide network of business leaders who advocate for policies that benefit both the economy and the environment. The E2 report comes just two weeks after President Obama announced goals to double our renewable energy and our energy efficiency which will help our economy as well as our environment. However many groups backed by the fossil fuel industry in states across the country, including state Renewable Portfolio Standards, are currently trying to derail clean energy policies. It is necessary that lawmakers continue to support policies to create good, clean energy jobs if we are to continue to see progress. Clean energy projects created jobs in all corners of the country and across Republican and Democratic communities in 2012, with California, North Carolina, and Florida leading the nation. The Southeast as a region led the country in manufacturing-related clean jobs, with more than 13,700 announced last year. Solar, advanced vehicles and wind energy were the leading clean energy manufacturing industries in the Southeast. In the fourth quarter of last year, nearly 16,000 clean energy and transportation jobs were announced, up from 10,800 in the third quarter. However many other sectors saw declines in the fourth quarter largely due to regulatory uncertainty in Congress during the 2012 election. Executive director of Environmental Entrepreneurs Judith Albert concludes, “Smart policies and regulatory certainty- both at federal and state levels- drive economic growth. If 2012 taught us anything, it’s that America wants to keep creating good, clean energy jobs, we need good, clean energy policies.”

Source: Environmental Entrepreneurs news release- REPORT: MORE THAN 110,000 CLEAN ENERGY, CLEAN TRANSPORTATION JOBS ANNOUNCED IN 2012

Source: sustainableconstructionblog.com

According to a new report issued by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a tax reform will provide Congress with opportunities to promote energy efficiency and remove barriers through the tax code. ACEEE’s executive director, Steven Nadel, notes that Congress should seriously consider energy efficiency and a cleaner environment when rewriting the tax code in the upcoming months. The authors of ACEEE’s report, Tax Reforms to Advance Energy Efficiency, find that changes in the tax code such as promoting capital investment in manufacturing and encouraging advanced energy saving technologies would pay for themselves as the increased energy savings increase profits and tax receipts. There is also a strong possibility for an increase in employment by an average of 164,000 jobs over the 2014-2030 period. This recent report goes into additional details concerning the reduction of subsidies for fossil fuels, emissions fees, and radical change to the business tax code to reduce marginal tax rates. As the tax code is rewritten, Congress can greatly affect the lives of Americans by modernizing the manufacturing sector and promoting advanced energy-saving technologies.

Source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy – News Release

In President Obama’s acceptance speech, he noted the importance of acting on climate change. He states:

We want our children to live in an America that isn’t burdened by debt, that isn’t weakened by inequality, that isn’t threatened by the destruction power of a warming planet [...] freeing ourselves from foreign oil.”

So, one thing is for sure, the President is not a climate change denier and it is one of the top issues he wants to focus on. He realizes that there is a big problem here, especially after Sandy hit. Post-Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg endorsed Obama because Bloomberg realized the President wants to curb climate change and put more focus on clean-energy. In Obama’s first term, he had a few successes that benefit the environment like increasing fuel-economy standards for vehicles, increasing restrictions on cardon dioxide emissions, and he supported stimulus money for clean energy companies.

What’s next for climate change then? It is obvious that the President believes what is going on, so does that mean that environmentalists can hope for an even greater change in his second term? With a plethora of new Senate members being huge supporters of clean water, air, and energy, there is hope that whatever legislation Obama proposes can get passed in the Senate, but the House might hold it up. Only time will tell the possibilities of making a change to our environment in Obama’s second term.

Source: LA Times Obama finally talks climate change; green industry wants more

Secretary Chu Speaking at WREF 2012

Midway through the week at the 2012 World Renewable Energy Forum, Secretary Steven Chu of the United States Department of Energy and Santiago Seage, CEO of Abengoa Solar spoke during the plenary session titled, “Government and Industry: Driving the Clean Energy Transition.” Even though there are many threats today to the expansion of the renewable energy (RE) market, inexpensive natural gas being one of those threats, I came away from this plenary session with reason for optimism. Governments can play the role in RE expansion, not through endless subsidies, but through strategic investments in key areas.

Mr. Seage, the CEO of a $6 billion dollar global solar technology company, drove the point home that it’s time that government and industry realize the free market is unable to solve our energy problems by itself. In addition, he said that the volatility of energy prices is compounding our energy problems and global governments can intervene to create consistency and predictability so RE businesses can thrive. Perhaps the most proactive thing this global businessman said was that energy prices need to reflect the cost of CO2 emissions and other environmental costs. Seage said, “We cannot continue living without a price on something that has a price.” Assessing the true environmental costs and impact of using carbon is critical to the success of the renewables industry.

Secretary Chu spoke next and described some of the innovative ways the U.S. Department of Energy enables the RE market, not just because it is the proper thing to do for the environment but because it also makes economic sense. The Nobel prize winning scientist began with a review of the current climate science and referenced four different studies by NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, HadCRU, and Berkeley. All four studies say that over the last 200 years the average annual land temperature has been increasing. Without a doubt, Sec. Chu said, greenhouse gases (GHGs) are preventing heat from escaping out of the Earth’s atmosphere thereby warming surface temperatures and changing the climate. So what can we do?

The good news, Sec. Chu said, was that the cost of doing something about climate change is going down every year. The question is no longer if clean energy will become competitive with conventional forms of energy, it is a matter of when it will happen. The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) SunShot Initiative has the lofty goal of reducing the costs of solar energy systems by 75% before 2020. President Obama’s intent with the SunShot Initiative is to position the U.S. as a leader in the clean energy economy by unleashing research and development to drive down prices. So far, it seems to be working. In 2004, the cost to install a solar system was $8 per watt. In 2010, the cost was down to $4 per watt. Mr. Seage and Sec. Chu both touted the benefits of governments investing in RE research and development to help strengthen the RE market.

Sec. Chu also reminded us that most of the good fortune for the RE industry in the United States was due to the American Recovery Act funds and that the DOE is already thinking about life after the Recovery Act. Some of the things they’re focusing on include:

• Asking Congress for an extension of the Wind Tax Credit.
• Investing in research, development, and deployment to drive down costs of RE.
• Lowering the cost of capital so investment becomes less risky. This can happen by broadening the pool of investors and diversifying their investments in clean energy.
• Working to coordinate REs with transmission and distribution, fossil fuel reserves, and energy storage. If we don’t do this today and when prices plunge the tech will be there but we can’t deploy because the system isn’t ready.
• Continuing to increase energy efficiency in our buildings and appliances.

Sec. Chu reminded us that the solutions to climate change will be economical and that it’s possible to have energy in a cleaner way. There’s also a huge market opportunity for developing clean technologies and exporting them around the world. The Secretary also left us with this question: “would you rather be a buyer or seller of RE technologies to the rest of the world?” I know my answer. What’s yours?

For another prospective and more details on Secretary Chu’s presentation, check out Andrew Michler’s article on Inhabitat.

Danielle Murray from the San Francisco Department of Environment

A solar revolution is happening one community at a time across the United States.

The last session of the day on Monday in the Energy Access track at WREF 2012 brought together four examples of innovative community engagement programs. All of the programs had a strong educational component and supported the installation of more solar in their area.

Danielle Murray from the San Francisco Department of Environment, a recipient of a DOE Solar America Communities grant, discussed San Francisco’s experience with organizing group purchasing programs around schools and small to medium sized businesses. Aaron Godwin, founder of Kilowatts for Education Consortium, talked about this program’s projects working with kids in Ohio and beyond to educate them about energy. Kevin Bean, champion of Gallup Solar in New Mexico and the Seacoast Area Renewable Energy Initiative in New Hampshire, shared his experiences holding barn raising style community events, but to complete solar PV installations.

There were several elements of the models discussed that had been successful and held potential for scaling. The cost savings achieved through San Francisco’s bulk purchasing program and a new Pre-paid PPA financing option that came out of their work with schools were encouraging outcomes of that program. Kevin Beane’s work with Gallup Solar and the Seacoast Area Renewable Energy Initiative had already demonstrated its transferability through successful implementation in two diverse locations. He admitted it would not work everywhere, but was optimistic that it could be effective in many places across the country.

The Holy Grail continues to be community engagement programs that are effective and can be implemented in a variety of locations without having to reinvent the wheel with every change of context. A successful model that easily scales would be a powerful tool in communities where solar has not yet caught on.

Photo by Digital Cat

If you didn’t know, the American Solar Energy Society is located in sunny Boulder, which gets an estimated 300 days of sunshine annually. This is a great boon to the solar energy industry in Colorado which according to COSEIA is the #1 state in the nation for solar jobs (per capita).

Would you like a year of sun?

We thought so.

ASES offers 12 Months of Sunshine, our monthly giving program. With a quick, easy signup and no paper statements, this program is a great earth-friendly way to support sustainability. After clicking on Donate just select the installment payment plan option with the amount you’d like to give. Your participation in 12 Months of Sunshine supports our mission to inspire an era of energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy.

Thanks for giving the environment another year of sunshine.