Green Collar Jobs: Why Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency are Economic Powerhouses

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) invite you to a briefing at which a groundbreaking new report will be released entitled Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Economic Drivers for the 21st Century. This report from ASES is the nation’s first comprehensive study of the tremendous economic impact of these industries. It aims to answer the questions: how big are the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries and how large are they forecasted to grow? How many jobs and what types of jobs do they create? What are the economic development implications? The briefing will address these questions, as well as provide a special case study, and explore the important policy implications of this powerful research.

Speakers

  • Sen. Ken Salazar, (D-CO), Member, Senate Energy and Natural Resources, Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and Finance Committees
  • Brad Collins, Executive Director, American Solar Energy Society
  • Drew McCracken, Director, Washington Office of the State of Ohio
  • Roger Bezdek, Ph.D, President, Management Information Services, Inc.

While policymakers consider how to tackle climate change and energy policy, the study to be released shows that renewable energy and energy efficiency can offer the economic opportunity of the century – but only if we take advantage of this huge opportunity. Today, these industries generate 8.5 million jobs and nearly $1 trillion in annual revenue in the United States, and they contain some of the fastest growing sectors in the economy. Among the study’s findings are: if the country fails to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency, it runs the risk of losing ground to global competitors. If policy and regulatory barriers to the sustained development of the industry are not addressed now, other countries like Germany, Denmark, and China will take the lead and reap the economic benefits. However, this new report also illustrates the tremendous opportunity for the United States to harvest these green collar jobs and how these industries, with the correct support, are poised to be economic powerhouses for the 21st century.

This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Neal Lurie at the American Solar Energy Society at [email protected] or 303.443.3130×105 or Leanne Lamusga- EESI, [email protected] or 202-662-1884.

American Solar Energy Society
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
11/08/2007 at 10:30AM

EPA Approval of New Power Plants: Failure to Address Global Warming Pollutants

Originally scheduled for Oct. 17.

Witnesses

  • Stephen L. Johnson – administrator, EPA

Panel II

  • Ron Curry – secretary, New Mexico Environment Department
  • David Doniger – policy director, Climate Center, Natural Resources Defense Council
  • Daniel M. Kammen – director, Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley
  • John Cline – partner, Troutman Sanders LLP
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee

11/08/2007 at 10:00AM

S.2191, to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases

Full committee hearing on Lieberman-Warner cap-and-trade legislation.

Witnesses

  • Peter A. Darbee, Chairman of the Board, CEO, and President, PG&E Corporation
  • Jonathan C. Pershing, Director, Climate, Energy and Pollution Program Climate and Energy, World Resources Institute
  • Anne E. Smith, Vice President, CRA International
  • Dr. Margo Thorning, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, American Council for Capital Formation
  • Wiley Barbour, Executive Director, Environmental Resources Trust

PG&E and WRI are members of US-CAP. The Environmental Resources Trust is connected to Environmental Defense, another US-CAP member.

Thorning has appeared regularly as a minority witness challenging cap-and-trade in previous hearings. Anne Smith also has appeared as a minority witness challenging cap-and-trade in a recent House hearing.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
406 Dirksen

11/08/2007 at 09:30AM

Carbon sequestration technologies

  • Dr. Howard Herzog, Principal Research Engineer, MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment
  • Mr. Charles E. Fox, Vice President, Kinder Morgan CO2 Company, L.P.
  • Dr. Sally Benson, Executive Director, Global Climate and Energy Project, Professor, Energy Resources Engineering Department, Stanford University
  • Dr. Robert C. Burruss, Research Geologist, Energy Resources Team, U.S. Geological Survey
  • Mr. Ron Wolfe, Corporate Forester and Natural Resources Manager, Sealaska Corporation
  • Dr. Bryan Hannegan, Vice President, Environment Electric Power Research Institute
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
   Science, Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee
253 Russell

11/07/2007 at 02:30PM

Tags: , ,

Kid Nutrition Programs in Farm Bill

Senate Democrats will hold a news conference to discuss the nutrition programs in the Food and Energy Security Act of 2007 (HR 2419 – Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007) and the impact they will have on children’s health. The bill would expand access to the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and increase funding, grants and research to growers of fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops. Contact: Jim Manley at 202-224-2939

Participants

  • Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)
  • Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)
  • Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.)
  • Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)
U.S. Senate
S-120 Capitol
11/07/2007 at 02:00PM

21st Century Water Commission

The Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee (Chairman Johnson, D-Texas) of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on pending legislation, the Twenty-First Century Water Commission Act of 2007.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
   Water Resources and the Environment Subcommittee
2167 Rayburn

11/07/2007 at 10:00AM

Tags:

Shock and Oil: Where Military Concerns Meet Consumer, Climate Crises

The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will host military and energy experts to examine how a major disruption in oil supply could affect the economy and America’s national security. With near $100 oil and rising gasoline and heating oil costs, America is already teetering on the verge of a major economic crisis. Last week, several energy and military experts came together to hold a “war game” exercise on the geopolitical effects of an oil crisis, called “Oil Shockwave”. Testifying before the committee will be the former head of the EPA, Carol Browner, who was a participant in the oil war game, along with the former Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, Admiral Dennis Blair, who observed the oil shock exercise and is involved in energy security issues.

Witnesses

  • Carol P. Browner, former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and current Principal of the Albright Group, LLC
  • Admiral Dennis Blair, USN (Ret.), former Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command
House Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee
2172 Rayburn

11/07/2007 at 09:00AM

The efficacy of the domestic energy industry, focusing on its available workforce to meet our nation's growing needs

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on whether domestic energy industry will have the available workforce – crafts and professional – to meet our nation’s growing energy needs and if gaps exist, what policies the Congress should take to address these gaps.

Panel 1

  • Ms. Emily DeRocco, Department of Labor
  • Ms. Patricia Hoffman, Department of Energy
  • Ms. Andra Cornelius, Workforce Florida

Panel 2

  • Mr. Norm Szydlowski, Colonial Pipeline
  • Mr. Paul Bowers, Southern Company
  • Dr. Ray Stults, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  • Ms. Carol Berrigan, Nuclear Energy Institute
  • Mr. Jim Hunter, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
366 Dirksen

11/06/2007 at 10:00AM

Power Shift Lobby Day

Monday, November 5 will be Power Shift Lobby Day. Following the hearing on youth and climate change, Power Shift members will meet with representatives from 10 am to 5 pm, with a noon rally on the steps of the Capitol, and a Congressional reception at 6 PM.

Speakers at the rally will include:

  • Global Warming Committee Chairman Ed Markey
  • Rep. Chris Van Hollen
  • Van Jones, Ella Baker Center
  • former EPA Admin. Carol Browner
Power Shift
Capitol
11/05/2007 at 10:00AM

Tags:

Youth and Climate Change

On Monday thousands of young energy and climate leaders will descend on Capitol Hill to send a message to Congress: we must pass the energy bill before Congress (HR 3221) so we can begin the transition towards a cleaner, safer, more prosperous future without oil dependence or global warming.

The day of events starts with several of these leaders appearing before Chairman Edward J. Markey and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Chairman Markey and those testifying will then travel to the West Lawn of the Capitol to meet thousands of supporters who will call for more green jobs, more renewable energy, and higher fuel economy standards, among other clean energy measures.

Congress is currently considering energy legislation that would raise fuel economy standards for America’s vehicles to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, increase the use of renewable energy, and create millions of new “green collar” jobs.

Witnesses

  • Billy Parish, Energy Action Coalition
  • Brittany R. Cochran, Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative
  • Cheryl Lockwood, Alaska Youth for Environmental Action
  • Katelyn McCormick, Students Promoting Environmental Students
  • Mike Reagan, California PIRG
House Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee

11/05/2007 at 09:30AM