I am spoke yesterday at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC at a forum on green jobs for women.  Although policymakers assert that government investments in green initiatives can produce 20% more jobs than traditional economic stimulus measures, women are not finding as much employment in the green sector as men.  I wrote about this issue for the first time last year, my original post is here.

The issue that I presented on yesterday is the low representation of women in white-collar green jobs.  When politicians talk about green jobs, the focus is most often on blue-collar work–workers insulating homes or installing solar panels.  There is no doubt that women are historically underrepresented in manual labor construction work–women account for just 3% of building trade workers.  This gender disparity is no different when electricians turn from hooking up HVAC units to hooking up solar arrays. 

But what about white collar green jobs? There are no practical barriers to entry for women to become construction or energy lawyers, to finance green projects or to create businesses that develop or market innovative green products.  Gender equity is only one of the issues here–it is new efforts in these areas which will create demand for blue-collar and white-collar workers alike, and create new revenue to reinvigorate the American economy. 

And yet women are underrepresented in these areas as well.  Women make up just 16% of the leadership of the ABA Construction Law Committee, and a lower percentage of scientists, researchers, engineers and financiers.

What to do? 

• Qualify white collar green jobs for economic incentives–this will benefit the green economy as a whole.  If there are no new businesses creating demand for people to caulk houses or build solar arrays, all the green job training in the world will be wasted. This will benefit men and women alike.
• Create targeted green training (and RE-training) programs for women in law, business, engineering and finance. Alumni groups from higher education institutions could take on this effort, and make the training available not only for their alumni, but to professionals within their geographical area.
• Create set-asides in green purchasing programs for women-owned green businesses, particularly in government programs and large companies going green,.
• Take on the issue–USGBC and other high profile green organizations and government entities need to make women’s participation in the green economy a priority.

Related posts:

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• Are Women Greener Than Men?
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Provincial Energy Minister, Brad Duguid, recently toured a hydroelectric project in Kapuskasing, Ontario to promote the province’s push for a greener and more sustainable economy.  During his visit, Duguid stated, “I really think the Green Energy Act is good for the North,” referring to the provincial government’s legislation designed to bolster investment in a cleaner, greener, and healthier Ontario.  He added that the current economic stimulus in green ventures and renewable energy projects is expected to provide a strong return on investment.  The Minister also took the time during his tour to promote the Northern Industrial Electricity Rate Program (NIER) – a project created to help northern industrial companies cover some of the costs they currently pay for high-priced electrical rates.  Announced in the 2010 budget, this newly established economic stimulus program offers recipients incentives to ensure they can compete in the market and retain jobs in Ontario.

Economic Stimulus for a Green Economy

The province’s expanding green economy is expected to create an estimated 50,000 jobs over the next three years.  This economic stimulus will help establish healthier and happier communities through job creation and the development of solar and green training opportunities in Ontario.  Duguid believes, “There’s huge potential here, whether it’s wind, solar, biomass or biogas.”  He further added that Ontario’s commitment to growing a green economy over the next four years would help establish the province as the first region in the world to rely wholly on clean, renewable energy, instead of on expensive, non-renewable coal.

Rate Cut Key Component of Economic Stimulus

The reduction of electricity rates may be a key component to North Ontario’s economic recovery and green growth.  Local industries have long looked to cut costs in order to stay competitive with businesses in neighbouring provinces where electrical costs tend to be lower.  Many investors and manufacturers in the region believe that the recent closure of a well-known metallurgic company in Timmins, Ontario was solely based on the company’s inability to pay the province’s higher electricity costs in a competitive resource-based industry.  The NIER Program is set to save these facilities 25% in energy costs and provide them with 2 cent/kWh rebates over three years.  The program’s proposed price reduction will go into effect in January 2011 and is applicable to 200 of the province’s largest manufacturers, should they commit to a renewable energy plan.  This guarantees the protection of local jobs.  It also bodes well for solar training and renewable energy courses since the region will need a qualified green workforce in order to help build the necessary infrastructure.

Green Energy Act Provides Strong Economic Stimulus

Northern Ontario industries that do not qualify for the NIER program can take advantage of the Ontario Power Authority’s (OPA) Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) program.  Successful applicants receive a fixed rate for the clean energy they produce and return to the local power grid.

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There has been a ton of money floating out of Washington the past couple of years. Much is going toward propping up state governments with budget shortfalls, helping those who cannot find work by extending unemployment benefits and COBRA health insurance coverage, and a ton of dough is going to the banks.

This leaves a lot of us wondering, where is my stimulus package?

As an avid reader of current events and a novice financial expert, my opinion is perhaps literally worth two cents. As a renewable energy professional who has spent the past two years learning about solar energy and energy efficiency through community college courses and technical schools, I can tell there is a lot of money going to the right places.

In addition to extending unemployment benefits, there is a good deal of money flowing into community colleges and renewable energy. For example, I was able to get reimbursed from my state, New York, for the classes I took on energy efficiency.

Note: This reimbursement may not be directly related to the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, but if you visit Recovery.gov and search “community colleges,” you will see the amount of money going to specific colleges. This site shows how the money is being spent and spread out across the country. It is a lot of money and it is being spent slowly. Rolling out the cash this way allows time for municipalities to compete for the funds and present proposals that are worth spending on. Will this remove all the “pork?” Maybe not, but hopefully it will weed out the “bridge to nowhere” projects.

Now, back to energy efficiency. Many state incentives will reimburse you for retrofits made to your home. Energy saving is accomplished through air sealing, insulation, higher efficiency light bulbs and appliances and window replacement. These retrofits can save you 10 to 40 percent on energy costs. You don’t have to spend a great deal of money to make a huge impact on your home.

Through the state incentives, you can get a portion of the work reimbursed by the state. With the “Cash for Caulkers” bill in the works, there will be federal incentives as well. Visit  DSIREUSA.org in order to find all energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives for your state as well as federally.

With regards to renewable energy, you are now able to take a 30 percent tax credit, with no cap, on all solar, wind or other renewable energy installations at your home. This is not a tax deduction, but a credit that will come off your tax obligation. If your tax obligation does not meet the credit, then you can carry the credit over to the following year.

On top of the federal tax credit, there are also state rebates and state tax credits. Again, depending on what state you are in. All your state specific info can be find on the DSIREUSA website.

Lastly, some states have renewable energy credits or feed-in tariffs, which mean not only do you save money by not purchasing electricity from your utility, but you get paid by utilities or other third parties for energy you produce.

As most of us agree, the times are changing. The United States is trying to find a path to resurrect its status as a leader among nations. We have lost our manufacturing base that built us in the 20th century. We have to work on reforming our educational system so we can compete with emerging countries back east.

The path ahead is long — very long — but I can see the first steps. The first step is toward an energy independent nation that does not rely on oil from countries that don’t like the “old red white and blue.” In addition, we need to move toward an education-independent country that continues to attract foreign talent, but more importantly that rebuilds our pool of technically proficient citizens so we do not need to rely on foreign countries to build our cars, clothes, solar panels and goods from Wal-mart.

photo: pfala

Related posts:

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The fight for leadership in clean-tech is underway. The next decade will prove pivotal in determining where the Silicon Valley of clean-tech will reside. While the U.S. is now putting considerable resources into clean-tech, the strongest competitor has only just entered the contest.

Announced in July, China’s Golden Sun program will increase installed capacity of solar power by five times its 2008 level in the next 2-3 years. China also initiated a residential program to subsidize solar. The nation has quickly emerged as a major player in one of renewable energy’s key sectors. Furthermore, China earmarked nearly $100 billion of economic stimulus for projects related to climate change. This is not to mention the enormous growth of the wind power industry in China, which required Chinese lawmakers to double their wind power prediction for 2010. The country plans to add wind capacity to match the massive Three Gorges Dam within the next decade. All the while, China has strict protectionist rules limiting the beneficiaries to local companies. The likely best hope for foreign entities is to collaborate with their Chinese counterparts similar to the success of American automakers.

Meanwhile, the U.S. renewed its solar subsidy last year, the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) through 2016, in hopes of stimulating demand growth. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act put aside a little over half China’s sum for energy-related projects. The U.S. hopes the greening of the economy will bring resurgence to the manufacturing sector and retain its leadership in technological innovation while simultaneously lowering greenhouse gas emissions in order to combat climate change. Reforming U.S. energy policy is one of the main pillars of the President Obama’s agenda. However, with healthcare reform dragging, Congress could delay cap-and-trade unless President Obama takes the lead.

The fundamental difference between China and the U.S. reveals itself in the push to stimulate clean-tech. With an open and vibrant democracy, the U.S. is stumbling its way through energy policy reform. The creation of market mechanisms like cap-and-trade or tax incentives is a typical solution from the American system. Until recently, the U.S. relied almost entirely on the states to act as incubators for new policy. The particular winners are unclear and the government will likely use the power of the consumer to drive renewable energy growth. On the contrary, China’s command-and-control methodology dumps heaps of money into clean-tech directly leading to marked growth in the country’s wind and solar industries. They spread the wealth through provisions such as the Golden Sun’s requirement that no province can get more than 20MW of new capacity from the program. Indeed, this new space race could prove to be the next ideological test for the United States.

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Last week, Mackinnon gave a great overview of the Stimulus incentives for Cleantech. The impact of over $80 billion (yes, BILLION) will be an unprecedently leap in commercialization of clean technologies, putting us well on the way to reduced carbon emissions and energy independence.

However, there are many trade-offs that are inherent to “shovel-ready” economic stimulus that do not make us greener, cleaner or more energy independent. Last week, NPR discussed the Green goals of the stimulus package. In particular, the fact that $29 billion (also, BILLION) will be dedicated to building new highways is polluting in the near-term, but also “means more cars, more development, and more greenhouse gas pollution.”

While these programs do create basic jobs, we are living in 2009, not 1933. Creating jobs for the sake of job creation does not establish America as a leader in clean technologies, we need to make more sweeping changes that are aligned with an agenda for sustainable living and sustainable job growth. More money should be dedicated to research to push the needle on clean technologies, bringing them to market faster and cheaper. Less popular, but equally important, we should be aggressive about carbon and/or petrol taxes, like those proposed by Thomas Friedman years ago. These taxes would instill sustainable behavior by making non-green decisions expensive for consumers, while bolstering public funds (which will soon take a $780 billion hit).

Neither research nor taxes are particularly popular when many Americans are living hand-to-mouth, but this is the best time to make investments in our future. When good times return and gas is cheap, people are less likely to make sustainable choices.

Related posts:

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