PennFuture events
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Victoria
Mar 25, 2008, 6:10:10 PM3/25/08
to Chester County Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Task Force
From: "PennFuture" <pennf...@pennfuture.org>
Date: March 19, 2008 5:36:55 PM EDT
To: v...@furiousdreams.com
Subject: PennFuture Facts: Great Green Jobs
Reply-To: pennf...@pennfuture.org
Upcoming PennFuture Events:
PennFuture's Annual Watershed Workshop - March 29
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=95
PennFuture's Southwestern Pennsylvania Global Warming Conference -
April 5
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=99
Tenth Anniversary Gala featuring Al Gore - May 3
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=93
PennFuture's Northeastern Pennsylvania Global Warming Conference - May
17
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=93
PennFuture's 2008 Clean Energy Conference - May 28-29
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=65
Vol. 10, No. 6 -March 19, 2008
Great Green Jobs
For a printable copy CLICK HERE
"I have the same feelings about wind as I had about the best oil field
I ever found."
T. Boone Pickens
Even as expensive, dirty fossil fuels are pushing our economy into
recession, the clean energy economy is growing jobs - great green
jobs.
The wind industry invested more than $11 billion in just the United
States last year and much more around the world. The solar industry
also now generates electricity, billions of dollars of investment, and
thousands of jobs.
Along with more than 60 renewable energy companies, construction
firms, other businesses, labor groups, health-care organizations,
faith groups and environmental and conservation groups, PennFuture
just launched the Great Green Jobs Coalition. The mission of the
campaign is to make sure that Pennsylvania is a leader and not a loser
in the clean energy revolution.
The campaign's first goals are to convince the Pennsylvania Senate to
pass two important bills that will grow the clean energy economy -
Special Session House Bill 1 (SHB 1) that would create an $850 million
fund for investments in renewable energy, energy conservation and
green buildings; and House Bill 2200 (HB 2200) which would create
energy conservation programs all across Pennsylvania.
The clean energy economy is creating a demand for skilled workers that
is outpacing the supply. Here is a partial list of the "in demand"
jobs these industries need: electricians, pipefitters, HVAC
installers, sheet metal workers, boilermakers, machinists, welders,
customer service representatives, computer-controlled machine tool
operators, truck drivers, and sales representatives. These are good-
paying, permanent jobs many of which can be learned on the job or
through apprenticeship programs.
To meet the demand for jobs, worker training programs have sprung up
to give unemployed and underemployed people the skills they need to
work in the solar, wind, and energy efficiency industries. One of
these programs, the Smart Energy Initiative, is operating in the five-
county Philadelphia region through the Chester County Economic
Development Council.
Clean energy industries are attracted to Pennsylvania because of the
work ethic of our people, and because the Pennsylvania General
Assembly passed the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act in
2004. The guarantee of a market for wind, solar and biomass power drew
major solar and wind companies to locate here.
But now, other states have upped the ante and are seriously competing
for clean energy companies. New Jersey and California have hundreds of
millions of dollars a year available for solar energy for example.
It's time for Pennsylvania to fine-tune its energy policies and boost
its investment capacity so it does not lose the competitive edge in
this race for great green jobs.
Both SHB 1 and HB 2200 passed the House with bi-partisan support and
are now in the Pennsylvania Senate. The $850 million in SHB 1 includes
$200 million for solar energy, $30 million for wind energy, $25
million for green buildings and $39 million for rebates for consumers
who replace old appliances with new energy efficient ones.
HB 2200 would create energy conservation programs in all parts of
Pennsylvania that would help businesses and residents afford to
install energy savings measures like replacing lighting, upgrading and
replacing air conditioning and heating systems, and replacing
refrigeration systems. It would also ensure that every electricity
customer would receive a smart meter and a variety of pricing plans
that would allow them to take more control over their energy use and
the price they pay for it.
These programs would help consumers deal with electricity rate
increases as price caps end by 2010. They would also reduce
electricity demand at peak times, helping to prevent blackouts and
saving everybody money. A one percent decrease in the demand for
electricity at peak demand times lowers the wholesale price by 10
percent.
Even as the clouds of an economic recession gather, the clean energy
opportunity carries the promise of sunnier economic times. Clean
energy companies like Solar Power Industries, Gamesa, Conergy, and
Iberdrola are generating pollution free power and creating great green
jobs in Pennsylvania today. But to make sure that a real clean energy
boom comes to Pennsylvania, the Senate must pass SHB 1 and HB 2200.
Did you know that PennFuture members receive reduced rates at all
PennFuture conferences, luncheons and other events? Make another
difference for Pennsylvania today - join PennFuture. Just go to our
secure website at www.pennfuture.org.
Are you receiving, or do you know about our other e-publications? We
have several: E-Cubed, Action Alerts, Green Power Update, Session Daze
- to find out about these e-publications, please visit our website at
www.pennfuture.org and check out the Pressroom and Publications
section.
PennFuture Facts is a biweekly publication designed to be a brief,
informative and interesting look at a topical environmental and/or
economic issue in Pennsylvania. Please visit our website for more
information about PennFuture, http://www.pennfuture.org. This message
is not intended as spam. If you would like to unsubscribe, simply
reply to this message with "Unsubscribe Facts" and your email address
as the subject line and we will remove your name promptly. You are
subscribed using the following address: v...@furiousdreams.com
PennFuture Facts is available for reprint in newspapers and other
publications. Authors are available for print or broadcast interviews.
For more information, please contact us at 717-214-7920, or
in...@pennfuture.org.
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future
610 N. 3rd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Date: March 19, 2008 5:36:55 PM EDT
To: v...@furiousdreams.com
Subject: PennFuture Facts: Great Green Jobs
Reply-To: pennf...@pennfuture.org
Upcoming PennFuture Events:
PennFuture's Annual Watershed Workshop - March 29
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=95
PennFuture's Southwestern Pennsylvania Global Warming Conference -
April 5
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=99
Tenth Anniversary Gala featuring Al Gore - May 3
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=93
PennFuture's Northeastern Pennsylvania Global Warming Conference - May
17
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=93
PennFuture's 2008 Clean Energy Conference - May 28-29
http://www.pennfuture.org/calendarevents_detail.aspx?EventID=65
Vol. 10, No. 6 -March 19, 2008
Great Green Jobs
For a printable copy CLICK HERE
"I have the same feelings about wind as I had about the best oil field
I ever found."
T. Boone Pickens
Even as expensive, dirty fossil fuels are pushing our economy into
recession, the clean energy economy is growing jobs - great green
jobs.
The wind industry invested more than $11 billion in just the United
States last year and much more around the world. The solar industry
also now generates electricity, billions of dollars of investment, and
thousands of jobs.
Along with more than 60 renewable energy companies, construction
firms, other businesses, labor groups, health-care organizations,
faith groups and environmental and conservation groups, PennFuture
just launched the Great Green Jobs Coalition. The mission of the
campaign is to make sure that Pennsylvania is a leader and not a loser
in the clean energy revolution.
The campaign's first goals are to convince the Pennsylvania Senate to
pass two important bills that will grow the clean energy economy -
Special Session House Bill 1 (SHB 1) that would create an $850 million
fund for investments in renewable energy, energy conservation and
green buildings; and House Bill 2200 (HB 2200) which would create
energy conservation programs all across Pennsylvania.
The clean energy economy is creating a demand for skilled workers that
is outpacing the supply. Here is a partial list of the "in demand"
jobs these industries need: electricians, pipefitters, HVAC
installers, sheet metal workers, boilermakers, machinists, welders,
customer service representatives, computer-controlled machine tool
operators, truck drivers, and sales representatives. These are good-
paying, permanent jobs many of which can be learned on the job or
through apprenticeship programs.
To meet the demand for jobs, worker training programs have sprung up
to give unemployed and underemployed people the skills they need to
work in the solar, wind, and energy efficiency industries. One of
these programs, the Smart Energy Initiative, is operating in the five-
county Philadelphia region through the Chester County Economic
Development Council.
Clean energy industries are attracted to Pennsylvania because of the
work ethic of our people, and because the Pennsylvania General
Assembly passed the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act in
2004. The guarantee of a market for wind, solar and biomass power drew
major solar and wind companies to locate here.
But now, other states have upped the ante and are seriously competing
for clean energy companies. New Jersey and California have hundreds of
millions of dollars a year available for solar energy for example.
It's time for Pennsylvania to fine-tune its energy policies and boost
its investment capacity so it does not lose the competitive edge in
this race for great green jobs.
Both SHB 1 and HB 2200 passed the House with bi-partisan support and
are now in the Pennsylvania Senate. The $850 million in SHB 1 includes
$200 million for solar energy, $30 million for wind energy, $25
million for green buildings and $39 million for rebates for consumers
who replace old appliances with new energy efficient ones.
HB 2200 would create energy conservation programs in all parts of
Pennsylvania that would help businesses and residents afford to
install energy savings measures like replacing lighting, upgrading and
replacing air conditioning and heating systems, and replacing
refrigeration systems. It would also ensure that every electricity
customer would receive a smart meter and a variety of pricing plans
that would allow them to take more control over their energy use and
the price they pay for it.
These programs would help consumers deal with electricity rate
increases as price caps end by 2010. They would also reduce
electricity demand at peak times, helping to prevent blackouts and
saving everybody money. A one percent decrease in the demand for
electricity at peak demand times lowers the wholesale price by 10
percent.
Even as the clouds of an economic recession gather, the clean energy
opportunity carries the promise of sunnier economic times. Clean
energy companies like Solar Power Industries, Gamesa, Conergy, and
Iberdrola are generating pollution free power and creating great green
jobs in Pennsylvania today. But to make sure that a real clean energy
boom comes to Pennsylvania, the Senate must pass SHB 1 and HB 2200.
Did you know that PennFuture members receive reduced rates at all
PennFuture conferences, luncheons and other events? Make another
difference for Pennsylvania today - join PennFuture. Just go to our
secure website at www.pennfuture.org.
Are you receiving, or do you know about our other e-publications? We
have several: E-Cubed, Action Alerts, Green Power Update, Session Daze
- to find out about these e-publications, please visit our website at
www.pennfuture.org and check out the Pressroom and Publications
section.
PennFuture Facts is a biweekly publication designed to be a brief,
informative and interesting look at a topical environmental and/or
economic issue in Pennsylvania. Please visit our website for more
information about PennFuture, http://www.pennfuture.org. This message
is not intended as spam. If you would like to unsubscribe, simply
reply to this message with "Unsubscribe Facts" and your email address
as the subject line and we will remove your name promptly. You are
subscribed using the following address: v...@furiousdreams.com
PennFuture Facts is available for reprint in newspapers and other
publications. Authors are available for print or broadcast interviews.
For more information, please contact us at 717-214-7920, or
in...@pennfuture.org.
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future
610 N. 3rd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
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