Dear Clean Energy Business Leader:
Happy New Year and welcome to the first edition of the Clean Energy Business Network Newsletter, an informational report written just for businesses within America's clean energy economy.
In June, 2009 the Pew Charitable Trusts released a report, The Clean Energy Economy: Repowering Jobs, Businesses and Investments Across America, which provided the first-ever hard count of environmentally friendly jobs, businesses, and investments across all 50 states. From this effort, we identified more than 68,200 businesses which account for more than 770,000 jobs - so that we may reach out and offer useful information for growing companies like your own.
Each newsletter will provide you with updates about what Capitol Hill and the White House are working on to help grow the Clean Energy Economy and build America's global competitiveness. We will seek out opportunities which you may not yet have heard about, but may benefit your business. Plus, we can help you reach out to your representatives to have your voice heard.
We are interested in your feedback and ideas about what you want to learn more about. Please send questions and comments to Jessica Lubetsky at jlubetsky@pewtrusts.org.
Thank you,
Phyllis Cuttino
Campaign Director, Climate and Energy Programs
Pew Environment Group
Newsletter Contents
- 1. U.S. Clean Power Sector Could Attract $342 Billion By 2020
- 2. We Can Make Progress On Clean Energy
- 3. Department of Labor Wants to Know How You Did It Successfully
1. U.S. Clean Power Sector Could Attract $342 Billion By 2020:
The United States could attract $342 billion in clean power project investments over the next decade, according to the latest report released by The Pew Charitable Trusts and its research partner, Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The U.S. is among the three G-20 members with the most to gain by implementing strong clean energy policies. Additionally, strong policies could better position the U.S. to compete more effectively for a share of the $2.3 trillion that could be invested globally in clean power projects over the next 10 years.
Global Clean Power: A $2.3 Trillion Opportunity examined projected private investment in wind, solar, biomass/energy from waste, small hydro, geothermal and marine energy projects. The underlying data for this report were compiled by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the world's leading provider of news, data and analysis on clean energy and carbon market finance and investment. The report modeled three policy scenarios to determine future growth through 2020: Business-as-usual: no change from current policies; Copenhagen: policies to implement the pledges made at the 2009 international climate negotiations in Copenhagen and; Enhanced clean energy: maximized policies designed to stimulate increased investment and capacity additions.
In the U.S., total attracted clean power project investment is projected to be:
- Business-as-usual: $245 billion by 2020
- Copenhagen: $259 billion by 2020
- Enhanced clean energy: $342 billion by 2020
Other key U.S. findings include:
- The projected $342 billion in clean power project investment over the next decade would leverage installation of 171 GW of generating capacity, essentially tripling the amount of clean power that exists in the U.S. today.
- Over the next 10 years, the U.S. could attract $97 billion of additional clean power project investments under the enhanced scenario compared to business-as-usual.
2. We Can Make Progress On Clean Energy
When President Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, it marked the largest initiative on energy that the nation had taken since the 1970's. At the time, he stated, "We make a major step toward reducing our dependence on oil, confronting global climate change, expanding production of renewable fuels and giving future generations a nation that is stronger, cleaner and more secure." If there is anything we learned during that debate, it's that Democrats and Republicans can work together to pass meaningful energy legislation. The bill was supported by an overwhelming majority of Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate.
When it comes to issues that matter to much of our country - namely, protecting national security, spurring innovation, reducing dependence on foreign oil, reviving the economy and creating jobs—we should be talking partnership not partisanship. Americans, and the Democrats and Republicans who represent us in Congress, can no longer prolong this energy stalemate.
3. Department of Labor Wants to Know How You Did It Successfully
Over the next year, The U.S. Department of Labor will collect examples of actions that organizations and businesses have taken to support green job growth while at the same time adopt climate friendly actions. A sampling of best practices will be featured in a guide to be released on Earth Day 2011.
To be considered as a featured best practice. Please describe (in 150 words or less) how your company has changed or adopted a plan to create green jobs within your company/organization and helped spur economic growth. Submissions will be evaluated, among other things, to the extent they provide insights as to the following:
- How your company's/organization's actions were climate friendly;
- How your company's/organization's actions contributed to the economy, including the creation of new & safe green jobs; and
- Motivations for the decision to make climate-friendly changes that support green job growth and how the changes were accomplished.
Each submission should also include the name of the business or organization, location, and contact information. Submit your "Turning Green to Gold, Safely" best practice.
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Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://scottscontracting.wordpress.com
