Message #737 From:
TheMachine Date: May 26, 2009 01:10:33 AM
Report: Low-carbon energy policy creates millions of new jobs
COPENHAGEN, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Low-carbon energy sources such as wind and
sea wave power would create millions of sustainable new jobs in the United
States alone, according to a report released by the Copenhagen Climate Council
on Monday.
The report, Green Jobs and Clean Energy Economy, authored by Daniel Kammen
and Ditlev Engel, shows that appropriate policy framework and large-scale
strategic investment in clean energy technologies will both spur greater
employment and pay dividends for the planet.
"This report dramatically illustrates the growth and real employment power
of green energy jobs not just in the future, but today. Who would not want to
replace foreign debt for energy for investing in a trained and innovative
workforce?" Kammen said.
The report concludes that a combination of policy scenarios which involve
renewable energy investment and energy efficiency measures can generate two to
eight times more jobs per unit of energy than the fossil fuel-based sector.
In the United States alone, a national Renewable Portfolio Standard of 25
percent in 2025 coupled with a 0.5 percent annual electricity growth rate would
generate more than 2 million jobs, and further increasing low-carbon sources by
around 50 percent would generate more than 3 million jobs.
This would result in a massive 90 percent of U.S. electricity supply coming
from renew-able or low-carbon sources, says the report.
The report focused on a case study of Vestas, the Danish wind power giant.
Ditlev Engel, CEO of Vestas, explains: "This report shows once again that
the wind energy industry provides jobs on a massive scale and engenders economic
development. The recipe for growth and sustainability is very simple: long-term
commitments for greenhouse gas emission reductions plus investment in power
generation infrastructure."
"This will drive the market on a sustainable business platform; at Vestas
we call that simply Modern Energy," he adds.
In 2005, Vestas employed 10,000 people worldwide. Today, the number has
risen to nearly 20,000 in 62 countries.
