UK's New Low Carbon Industrial Plan -- 500,000 Green Jobs

A new industrial plan developed in the UK predicts lower greenhouse gas emissions and a half million new jobs by 2020.

Kat Baker for PerssonnelToday.com reports:

"As part of the 'Low Carbon Industrial Strategy', climate and energy secretary Ed Miliband [UK] said 200,000 new green-collar jobs would be created by 2015, and a further 300,000 by 2020. The strategy sets out a series of government interventions to help create jobs by supporting industries critical to tackling climate change – including offshore wind and marine power. The government aims to cut emissions by 34% by 2020 – with employers forced to cut their 2008 carbon emissions by 13%." See full article.

Job-Strapped Michigan Moves Up In Inventive Patent Applications Including Green Tech

The bad economy in Michigan has caused applications for invention patents to spike -- including green technology solutions.

Jennifer Youssef from the Detroit News reports:

Although Michigan has been hard hit in other sectors, it ranked seventh among all states in the number of patents granted in 2008, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Linda Chamberlain, executive director of the West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative, a program that assists inventors and entrepreneurs, credits the state's research universities and major industries for the high number of patents. Michigan also has fifteen "SmartZones" where technology firms, entrepreneurs and researchers cluster and collaborate.

Geoff Horst and his colleagues at Algal Scientific Corp. are hard at work inventing a new source of biofuel in an East Lansing lab. Horst, the Michigan-based company's chief science officer and a doctoral candidate in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University, is testing combinations of algae species that suck up nutrients from wastewater and are then converted into biofuel. " See full article.

White House: Health and Green Jobs On Track.

A new White House report looks at jobs through 2016 and finds that the health and green job sectors are growing even with concerns over the stimulus package.

Ascociated Press reports:

"President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisers said jobs ranging from technical record keeping to nursing and physical therapy will grow in the health fields and that greater spending on renewable energy and on a more efficient electrical power grid will spike employment in those sectors as well. The White House, seeking to calm domestic frustration, has insisted its plan would eventually boost millions of jobs. The CEA report stood by a prediction that the stimulus spending would save or create 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2010." See full article.

Green Energy Job Creation: Return On Investment Facts

In a detailed assessment of how many actual jobs are created for every $1 million invested in the energy sector Alt Energy Stocks has reviewed the data. Bottom line -- green energy 16.7 new jobs to fossil fuel 5.3 jobs. That is three times better return on investment,

Tom Konrad for AltEnergyStocks.com reports:

"The best national report I read was Green Prosperity, which was sponsored by Green for All and NRDC, and written by the economists Robert Pollin, Jeanette Wicks-Lim, and Heidi Garrett-Peltier at the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (PERI). This report used data from the US Commerce Department Input-Output tables and IMPLAN to look at the potential for job creation from each $1M of spending in various industries, some of which is presented below in table 3 from the report:"

The cost of creating jobs per $1million in spending:

Weatherization --17.1 Transit/Rail --20.8 Smart Grid --13.3 Wind --13.8 Solar --14.1 Biomass ---15.5

Av.------------------16.7

____________________
Fossil Fuel ---------- 5.3

See full article.

Employment Impact of Proposed Sahara Solar Project: 240,000 Green Jobs

The Desertec project would cover a Masachusetts-sized area of the Sahara with solar panels. New estimates are it will also generate 240,000 new green jobs in Germany.

A consortium of 20 blue chip German firms has thrown its weight behind the gigantic Desertec Sahara solar plan. A new study helps explain why: The mega project could help spawn 240,000 new green jobs in Germany and deliver up to $2 trillion in profits to companies by 2050, according to the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy. Desertec was launched in 2007 by the German association of the Club of Rome. Its architects seek to spread a supergrid of concentrating solar thermal plants (CSP) across a 6,500 square-mile stretch of North African desert to eventually power most of Europe. See full article.

UK: 400,000 New Jobs and 34% Greenhouse Gas Reduction by 2020

As we get closer to the next world global warming summit, some nations are stepping up reductions while feeling more confident about green jobs. Photo: David Parry, UK.

The UK Telegraph reports:

"A 'green revolution' that should create 400,000 jobs is to be launched by ministers later this month in the most ambitious ever bid to transform the British economy, industry and sources of energy. Detailed plans for expanding renewable energy tenfold and cutting emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses that heat up the planet - all in little more than a decade - will be announced. The plans will be spelt out in three documents due to be published in about ten days time. Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, will unveil a White Paper that will spell out how emissions will be cut by at least 34 per cent on 1990 levels by 2020 and a 'Renewable Energy Strategy' to increase its use to 15 per cent of Britain's total energy supplies by the same date." See full article.

Green Job Referrals: Via A New Green Homes Concierge Service

Green jobs in the new energy economy can come in many forms. A new UK service can help busy people have greener and more energy efficient homes by, among other things, introducing them to green contractors.

Beth Hodgson at Inventers Spot.com reports:

"Green Homes Concierge helps London homeowners reduce their carbon footprint and save money through a comprehensive evaluation of the efficiency of their home. Through a report they will identity areas that need improvement, and once approved, can make the arrangement to have contractors complete the work required to make the home more energy efficient. With a service like this, you don't have to worry about finding the time to call for quotes, wait around for contractors, and struggle to maintain balance in your life." See full article.

Northwest Indiana Is Seeing Green Jobs In Its Future

Northwest Indiana is a traditional manufacturing hub. Leaders there are seeing less of a gap between regular manufacturing jobs and green jobs.

Michael Gonzalez, Post-Tribune correspondent reports:

"Going green can mean more greenbacks for Northwest Indiana, a region whose fortunes have been historically chained to traditional manufacturing. In an information fair sponsored by an ad hoc committee of residents called Concerned Citizens of Northwest Indiana, a panel of experts said there is no longer a gap between a greener region and more jobs.

[U.S. Rep. Pete] "Visclosky said steel making in the region runs 'on green jobs,' as the industry has achieved double-digit decreases in energy usage and carbon emissions and American steel is used in projects like windmill farms. While touting stimulus money for energy conservation and weatherization, he also promised he would vote against any legislation that could cost steel jobs.
Tracy Hall, a veteran electrician with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 697, spoke of installing solar panels on Merrillville's town hall and the need to train workers for similar projects for large scale green projects coming soon to the region. See full article.

U.S. Government Maps Best Solar Regions

The need for alternative energy could redefine the American landscape including how it is mapped and ultimately managed.

CNet News: GreenTech reports:

"The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, in conjunction with the Department of Energy, this week released six maps that could help determine the location of the next big push in solar energy.The BLM maps cover areas within the six U.S. states most suitable for solar energy generation and transmission as judged by the U.S. government: Arizona (PDF and below), California (PDF), Colorado (PDF), Nevada (PDF), New Mexico (PDF) and Utah (PDF).

"Only lands with excellent solar resources, suitable slope, proximity to roads and transmission lines or designated corridors, and containing at least 2,000 acres of BLM-administered public lands were considered for solar energy study areas. Sensitive lands, wilderness and other high-conservation-value lands as well as lands with conflicting uses were excluded," according to a BLM statement released with the maps." See full article.

War Veterans Trade Uniforms for Green Jobs

Seventeen U.S. organizations are getting stimulus fund support for training veterans to move into renewable energy jobs.

Newsweek reports:

"Nonprofit groups like Boulder, Colo.–based Veterans Green Jobs, which last year launched"rapid training and deployment" workshops to hone vets' skills and funnel them into energy companies, deepen the talent and recruitment pool. Following suit, a Washington nonprofit called the Truman National Security Project launched a program this month to train vets to drive the message of an undeniable overlap between green energy and national security.

In some instances, veterans are acting as recruiters for their new employers. Tim Hyclak, an Air Force crew chief who did six tours in Iraq, is now a maintenance technician with Solaicx, an early-stage solar manufacturer. He heard about the company from a fellow vet and has instructed his friends to call him for jobs when they're discharged." See full article.

China Outpaces U.S. on Clean Energy

A common expression of concern about the U.S. supporting treaties to abate global warming comes in the assertion that the U.S. would be taking such steps while other large nations would not be so bound.

Photo: Ariana Lindquist for The New York Times

The New York Times reports:

"As the United States takes its first steps toward mandating that power companies generate more electricity from renewable sources, China already has a similar requirement and is investing billions to remake itself into a green energy superpower.

Through a combination of carrots and sticks, Beijing is starting to change how this country generates energy. Although coal remains the biggest energy source and is almost certain to stay that way, the rise of renewable energy, especially wind power, is helping to slow China’s steep growth in emissions of global warming gases. This year China is on track to pass the United States as the world’s largest market for wind turbines — after doubling wind power capacity in each of the last four years." See full article

Smart Meter Roll Out Creates 2,600 New Jobs at British Gas

Linking homes and building to the smart grid will start with basic smart metering -- a source of green jobs.

Easier.com Finance reports:

"British Gas has unveiled plans to create 2,600 skilled new jobs by 2012. The new recruits will lead the roll-out of smart meter technology across Britain - the biggest revolution in home energy use for decades.

The 2,100 new smart energy experts, who will [actually] install smart meters, will also help householders understand how smart meters give them the control to cut their energy use, reduce their carbon footprint, and save money on their fuel bills." See full article.

Former President: Green Jobs Could Comprise Greatest Economic Boon Since World War II

Former President Clinton Addressed the Waterkeeper Alliance In New York City on June 26th and offered his views on the significance of the emerging green economy and green job creation. (Photo: J. Karceski)

Julie Karceski for EMagazine.com reports:

[President] "Clinton called the possible creation of a green job market a great boon to the economy, perhaps the greatest since World War II. He said the U.S. needs a new source of jobs every five to eight years, and green jobs, like building upgrading and wind turbine manufacturing, will provide Americans with work for another ten years.

Furthermore, he argued, investing $1 billion dollars in wind or solar energy creates more jobs than the using the same money to build a coal plant. He explained how making user-friendly financing methods for green home improvements would increase the number of people building greener homes." See article.

U.S. Lags Behind G8 Nations In Grabbing Hold of the New Green Economy

Recent congressional debates over whether green jobs are real are occuring in the U.S. but a new economic report card shows the America is having the debate by itself while other G8 nations are moving forward -- creating jobs and pushing boldly into the new green economy.

The World Wildlife Fund and Allianz SE report:

"The G8 Climate Scorecard, released by World Wildlife Fund and global financial services company Allianz SE, comes one week before heads of state gather in Italy for the 2009 G8 summit. 'During debate on the energy and climate bill in the House of Representatives last Friday, opponents of the legislation demanded that other countries first step up to the plate,' said WWF President and CEO Carter Roberts. 'The truth is that not only has much of the rest of the world already been at the plate, they're several innings into the game and we're only now emerging from the dugout." Other nations have dramatically cut greenhouse gas pollution, set national targets, ramped up investments in energy technology and set regulatory frameworks to spark innovation in key sectors. And now other countries dominate markets in sustainable energy and technology. 'It is time for the U.S. to get into the game and make up for lost time.' Roberts said." See full article.

Dramatic Green Stock Growth on Wall Street

In the discussion about green energy alternatives and job creation, the overall growth of clean energy companies is a factor to watch. The green company stocks are rising faster thanU.S. comapnies overall.

James Pethokoukis of Reuters reports:

"Three major indexes tracking green energy companies have risen sharply of late. The U.S.-only Wilderhill Clean Energy Index, comprising 51 companies, is up 72 percent since a March 9 low. Its global counterpart, the Wilderhill New Energy Global Index, which tracks 88 companies in 21 countries, is up 66 percent in the same period.

The CleanTech Index, which tracks a broader group, including industries like sustainable agriculture, is up 57 percent. By comparison, the S&P 500 is up 35 percent since hitting a 12-year low on March 9." See full article.