As readers of this blog know, I have grave doubts about the wisdom of spending big on most Green initiatives except nuclear and fuel cell research.However, along with big government, Green is the MegaTrend. So, for those who want to ride rather than buck the wave, I asked Carol McClelland, who runs greencareercentral.com to email me a report on what she found to be new and important at the Good Jobs/Green Jobs National Conference that she just attended. Here are the key takeaways:
Note: All the Doubting Thomas comments are mine, not Carol's.
Smart Grid - To replace our old electrical grid with a blackout-resistant one, a consortium of companies just released The U.S. Smart Grid Revolution: KEMA's Perspectives for Job Creation that "estimates up to 280,000 new jobs can be created directly from the deployment of Smart Grid technologies."
Greenhouse Gas Management. The Obama Administration and liberal Congress will likely impose cap-and-trade restrictions on businesses. That creates a need (well, a want) for experts at assessing how much carbon a company emits. The GMG Management Institute offers courses.
Wind. A short construction cycle means that wind turbines can start producing clean energy just six months after construction begins. Of course, wind-power's low yield of energy relative to its cost of generation and transmission likely dooms it to being just a bit player in the total energy solution but it's an ObamaPriority in the just-passed stimulus package and in future Obama/Congress spending sprees, so many wind jobs should be created. For more info on wind from its advocates: www.newwindagenda.org).(Click on the bottom of the page to enlarge the map of current wind manufacturing facilities.)
Energy Efficiency. Obama's stimulus package will help companies that make buildings more energy efficient. Green building supply manufacturers should benefit and building contractors better be offering a green menu or risk losing out on the fad (oops, trend.)
