TN Has Potential for 39,000 Clean Energy Jobs

A report released yesterday predicts 39,000 clean energy jobs could emerge in Tennessee. That number is based on spending from the federal stimulus bill, the potential cap and trade bill, and private investments.

The Center for American Progress commissioned the study.

In Tennessee the jobs would range from manufacturing elements for wind turbines and solar panels to researching and developing new technology. Bill Nolan is the Tennessee lobbyist for the American Institute of Architects. He says most of the jobs will be blue collar.

“If you’re going to talk about trying to rebuild America, trying to go out here and retrofit the houses so that we can do the right thing and cut back our energy costs, those are going to be laborers. Those are gonna be people who put the insulation in out here, those are people who install the new windows in your house, who put the new air conditioner in, the guy who manufactures the refrigerator that’s energy efficient.”

The federal cap-and-trade bill is still in heated debate and Nolan admits that, if passed, there is still uncertainty in how Tennessee will benefit. But he says that even without federal stimulus, the state investments with Wacker Chemie and Hemlock Semiconductor should keep Tennesee on the cutting edge.

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Here’s a link to the report commissioned by The Center for American Progress and the individual Tennessee summary.

Bracken Hendricks is a Senior Fellow with the group. He says clean energy is more local and more labor intensive.

“What you’re doing is you’re taking dollars that would be spent on imported energy resources, many of which would be wasted, and instead you’re taking that same dollar and you’re investing in the skills of American workers.”