Recycling Report Released & Globe Coverage!!
SkillWorks, the Environmental Business Council of New England, and MassRecycle released the report, Recycling and Jobs in Massachusetts: A Study of Current and Future Workforce Needs just in time for Earth Day this past Sunday, April 22.
The Boston Globe covered the report release in their Business section on Saturday, April 21st: Recycling industry poised for hiring: Workers already in short supply, study reports.
Report highlights:
- MA has over 2,000 recycling companies that employ close to 14,000 people with a payroll approaching $500 million annually.
- Recycling activities include collection, processing, remanufacturing, organics management, reuse, and deconstruction.
- Despite the slow economy, the private sector projects 10% growth or adding over 1,200 new jobs in the next 2 years and the public sector projects 5% growth.
- Both public and private sector employers reported difficulty finding applicants with relevant technical skills, professional skills, and work experience.
- Recommendations include better connections to the workforce development system, middle skills training to develop career pathways, and a regional economic development approach for the recycling industry.
Lack of Federal Energy Policy = Loss of Jobs/Profit
The NY Times June 8th article, U.S. Is Falling Behind in the Business of ‘Green’, points out that the U.S. is woefully behind other countries such as England in terms of being competitive in the $5 trillion clean technology sector.
One British company that just opened an office in Philadelphia estimated that over 80% of England’s older homes had been at least partially retrofitted by 2010. Other European countries have also embraced the sector and experienced economic growth in large part due to a robust policy mix of direct government investment, tax breaks, loans, regulations and laws that cap or tax emissions.
But with Congress deeply divided over whether climate change is real or if the country should use less fossil fuel, efforts in the United States have paled in comparison. That slow start is ceding job growth and profits to companies overseas that now profitably export their goods and expertise to the United States.
Although certain states have implemented strong energy policies, the indecision at the federal level creates uncertainty in the market. Other countries are now profiting from this stalemate. Does anyone else see something wrong with this picture?
“That is 100 percent poppycock.”
This was Jack Kutner’s, CEO of BigBelly Solar, reaction to the question: “What is your response to those who say economic growth and the environment are at odds?”
The Boston Business Journal profiled Kutner in their Outside the Box column in the June 3, 2011 edition.
Kutner expanded his answer: “Usually, smart sustainability and environmental initiatives for a company are also really good business initiatives long term.”
Kutner’s response and perspective as both businessman and environmentalist are refreshing and hopefully indicative of a growing trend in the corporate world. As consumers become more informed and begin demanding more of corporations and as media outlets such as the BBJ highlight examples such as Kutner and BigBelly Solar, this blogger has to believe we are headed in a better direction.
Gov. Patrick dedicates 10 turbine wind farm
View full WAMC Northeast Public Radio article
Yesterday, Governor Deval Patrick dedicated the Berkshire Wind Power Project that will generate 15 mega-watts of electricity.
“The project nearly doubles the amount of total renewable wind energy produced in Massachusetts, offsetting the production of nearly 612,000 tons of carbon dioxide.”
While a step forward for the clean energy industry in MA, this project is also an example of the policy work that needs to be done to support further industry growth. The 13 years that it took to complete this project is a costly length of time that could be shortened for future undertakings.
“Patrick said he is pushing for a wind project siting reform bill to be passed this year, and that he hopes this project can be an example of how municipal authorities can work together with landowners and developers on wind projects.”
50 people were employed on this project through 20 MA companies.
Role of Higher Ed in Environmental Entrepreneurship
The New England Journal of Higher Education published an article today, “Launching the Next Industrial Revolution in New England”, arguing for the role higher ed institutions can and should play in driving the clean-tech industry.
Clean tech is defined as “a group of emerging technologies that provide energy with minimum climate and environmental impact and use resources efficiently. Examples include wind power and solar energy and other new technologies in renewable energy generation and energy, materials and resource conservation.”
The Green Launching Pad (GLP) is presented as an example of how higher ed can partner with private industry to drive clean tech economic development. The GLP is a strategic partnership between UNH and the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning utilizing DOE ARRA funds to work with 11 winning ventures since February 2010. Winners received up to $100,000 each as well as technical assistance from business, marketing, legal experts.
Through the GLP, clean tech entrepreneurs receive the resources and support they need to launch successful ventures and students and faculty have the opportunity to “work with private industry to help strengthen the region’s economy and help to address environmental concerns and to learn a lot while doing it.”
Sounds like a win-win!
SkillWorks’ Green Grantees & Participants highlighted in today’s Boston Herald!
The Chinese Progressive Association (CPA), the Asian American Civic Association (AACA), and JFYNetWorks were highlighted in today’s Boston Herald article, “Training key to green jobs”.
Two SkillWorks’ training participants were also featured. Alex Zhou received services from CPA and is now a weatherization technician with the Aulson Co. and a member of the local painters union. Nesli Francois is two-thirds of the way through AACA’s Energy Efficiency Technician Apprenticeship Program (EETAP) and hopes to stay on at Conservation Services Group (CSG) upon the completion of his apprenticeship.
The article delivers the message that green-energy jobs are good jobs with career pathways that also help save energy.
Solar is alive in MA!
Massachusetts has a rich history of research in science and technology, thanks in no small part to its serving as the home of some of the world’s best research universities. The U.S. Department of Energy recently chose three solar companies based in the state as the recipients of $12.6 million in funding that will be used to innovate in the field.
1336 Technologies, Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates and Veeco Solar Equipment were the three Bay State-based solar companies to win the funding; 1366 got a $3 million grant; Varian received $4.8 million in funding; and Veeco Solar took home $4.8 million in financing. All three companies will use the money to effect changes in the manufacturing and efficiency of solar panel modules.
The DoE awarded the three companies that specialize in solar power technology advancements the financing during its most recent round of grant allocation, Massachusetts High Technology reports; the companies were among five chosen throughout the U.S. for the agency’s “SunShot Initiative,” which aims to “strengthen the U.S. solar manufacturing industry, improve manufacturing efficiencies and reduce costs,” according to the DoE.
Massachusetts > Boston Solar
Mass. deprived of 40K green jobs
Boston Business Journal – by Kyle Alspach
Tuesday, September 14, 2010, 1:55pm EDT | Modified: Wednesday, September 15, 2010, 11:08am
Massachusetts has lost out on 40,000 new jobs that could have been created through a climate and energy bill in Congress, according to an analysis released Tuesday by a coalition of business groups.
In all, the United States has missed out on the chance to create 1.9 million jobs in the clean energy and technology sector, the consequence of the U.S. Senate’s lack of action on the bill, according to the analysis.
The bill — a version of which had previously been passed by the House of Representatives — was abandoned by the Senate on July 22.
The report was sponsored by the Small Business Majority, a small business advocacy group; American Businesses for Clean Energy, an initiative by small and large businesses; the Main Street Alliance, a national network of small business coalitions; and We Can Lead, a national coalition of business leaders.
“In the less than two-month period since the U.S. Senate failed to act on a comprehensive climate and energy bill, the U.S. has fallen more than $11 billion behind China and other leading nations in clean energy investments,” the groups said in a summary of the report.
The report cited research by the Political Economic Research Institute at UMass-Amherst, which found that many of the jobs would be related to building retrofitting, mass transit, energy-efficient automobiles, wind power, solar power and cellulosic biomass fuels.
The vast majority of those jobs would be distributed in areas where workers are already available and tap job skills already present in the U.S. workforce, according to the report.
Weatherization resource – WxTV
Curious how an energy audit is conducted? Looking to supplement weatherization training courses with some “how-to” videos? Check out Weatherization Television Network, or WxTV, produced by the Montana Weatherization Training Center.
WxTV features a series of weekly, 45-minute web episodes on weatherization techniques and technology. To date there are 6 “webisodes” to view:
- Gas Furnace Basics: Clean, Tune, & Test
- Heating Basics: A Tour of 9 Systems
- Auditing: The Selection of Measures
- Auditing: The Challenge of the Site Visit
- 12 Steps to Lead Safety
- This is the World of Weatherization
We learned about this resource through an article in The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Weatherization centers gets $350K grant to fund training ‘webisodes’, that talked about the Montana Weatherization Training Center as one of nine recipients of $5 million total donated by ExxonMobil and distributed by the National Community Action Foundation.
massnonprofit.org article: “SkillWorks Gives $111K to Two Boston Workforce Nonprofits”
May 27, 2010 — SkillWorks, a Boston-based, nonprofit investment partnership that helps low income individuals obtain employment, announced that it has awarded $111,235 to two Boston-based organizations to train and prepare workers for energy efficiency and weatherization jobs.
The awards were the first supported by a new green jobs initiative from SkillWorks targeted for training Boston-area residents to become energy efficiency auditors, technicians, and weatherization specialists.
Receiving the grants were:
* The Asian American Civic Association (AACA), which was awarded $76,235 to create an energy efficiency technician apprenticeship program. Energy efficiency technicians combine the skills of an energy auditor with the basic skills of a weatherization worker.
* The Chinese Progressive Association (CPA), which was awarded $35,000 to prepare limited English proficiency workers from Chinatown and the Boston area for weatherization jobs at a living wage, with a long-term union career pathway.
“We are pleased to award job training grants to the Asian American Civic Association and the Chinese Progressive Union, which will train local workers for higher paying, middle skill jobs,” said Loh-Sze Leung, director of SkillWorks. “These grants will ensure we have trained and certified workers to help businesses and residents meet energy efficiency standards.”
Leung added that over the next three years, SkillWorks expects to invest $750,000 to help create and support green jobs in greater Boston.
The Energy Efficiency Technician Apprenticeship Program will start next month. The main component of the program is a one-year apprenticeship that combines 2,200 hours of on-the-job training with approximately 171 hours of classroom instruction. It also includes a pre-apprenticeship math prep course for those that need extra math instruction.
CPA will serve as the lead agency for the Chinatown Green Collar Pathways Program. Other primary partners include the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 35 and The Aulson Company.
Launched in 2003, SkillWorks is a $25-million investment partnership between local and national foundations, along with the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts. The partnership seeks to create opportunities for workers to gain skills needed to be successful in the state’s economy. It has since become a model for other cities across the country.
During 2003-2008, SkillWorks said that it invested $15 million to help more than 3,000 workers receive skills training with hundreds entering the workforce or receiving raises and promotions. Through 2013, the organization plans to raise $10 million for investments in workforce partnerships, public policy advocacy, and capacity building.
