“As the advanced energy sector is developing more cost-competitive generation resources and energy conservation programs, the sector is being treated by legislators as a series of opportunities to bring economic growth to their districts. The conversation has changed to market competitiveness, economic impact and tax contributions, as opposed to being perceived “as asking for a handout,” Woolf said.
Job creation and economic development are crucial to legislators from either political party when it comes to supporting advanced energy technologies, Mike O’Boyle, electricity policy manager for Energy Innovation, wrote in an email to Utility Dive.
“In fact, when we talk about conservative support for clean energy, we can have remarkable success building support by framing policies as tools for local economic development, rather than mandates to improve environmental outcomes,” O’Boyle wrote.
Overall, employment in California’s advanced energy sector declined 1% between 2016 and 2017, as employers cited difficulties to find qualified candidates. The AEE snapshot projects 10% job growth in 2018, as energy efficiency expands. Those estimates are based on the 2018 USEER analysis for the state, published by the National Association of State Energy Officials and Energy Futures Initiative.”
Click here to read more from Utility Dive.