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National Conference of State Legislators

Dr. Cynthia Howell,NREL Education Programs Manager

June 23, 2009

Workforce DevelopmentEducating the Energy Workforce for Today and Tomorrow

Who’s responsibility is it anyway?

State Policy Framework – Trained Workforce Needed to Reach Goals

Source: DSIRE database, April 2009

Renewable Portfolio Standards

The global market for environmental products and services is projected to double from US$1,370 billion (1.37 trillion) per year at present to US$2,740 billion (2.74 trillion) by 2020, according to a study cited in the report.Half of this market is in energy efficiency and the balance in sustainable transport, water supply, sanitation and waste management.Sectors that will be particularly important in terms of their environmental, economic and employment impact are energy supply, in particular renewable energy, buildings and construction, transportation, basic industries, agriculture and forestry.Clean technologies are already the third largest sector for venture capital after information and biotechnology in the U.S.A worldwide transition to energy-efficient buildings would create millions of jobs, as well as “greening” existing employment for many of the estimated 111 million people already working in the construction sector.Investments in improved energy efficiency in buildings could generate an additional 2-3.5 million green jobs in Europe and U.S. alone.

Credit: “Green Jobs” Towards Decent work in a sustainable, Low-Carbon World.”

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future

CategoryDeployment Period

(2009 to 2012)Steady State Period

(2013 to 2018) CommentsDirect Utility Smart Grid

48,300 5,800Direct utility jobs created by Smart Grid programs

Transitioned Utility Jobs‐11,400 ‐32,000

Utility positions (e.g. meter reading) transitioned to other roles

Contractors 19,000 2,000External installation and service providers

Direct Utility Suppliers 117,700 90,000Smart Grid equipment suppliers (e.g., metering)

Indirect Utility Supply Chain79,300 22,500

Suppliers to Direct Utility Suppliers

New Utility/ESCO Jobs 25,7000 51,400

New jobs from new Smart Grid business models

Total Jobs Created 278,000 139,700Total new jobs at end of each  period

Exhibit 1: Total Smart Grid Jobs Created and Transitioned

Credit: The U.S. Smart Grid Revolution KEMA’s Perspectives for Job Creation

Careers in Renewable Energy

LawGlobal FinancePolitical ScienceCommunicationsEducationAdministration/City Management

PhysicsChemistryCellular and Molecular Biology

Mechanical EngineeringChemical EngineeringElectrical EngineeringMaterials Science Engineering

Computer ScienceEnvironmental Science

Degrees in Renewable Energy

• According to the PEW Charitable Trusts (www.pewtrusts.org) Colorado (2007) had17,008 jobs in the clean energy economy at 1,778 businesses. The state also has attracted more than $622 million in venture capital in the past three years—the fifth largest amount in the nation.

• Jobs in the state’s clean energy category grew 50 percent between 1998 and 2007. The energy efficiency sector grew 56 percent in the same time.

• Nearly 60 percent of the jobs are in conservation and pollution mitigation sectors; 15.5 percent in clean energy; 9 percent in energy efficiency; 8 percent in environmentally friendly production; 7.5 percent in training and support.

• Also in short supply are technicians, machine operators and other manual trades employees.

• In Northern California, the Obama administration in March offered a $535 million loan guarantee for a company to build a solar panel plant in Fremont, a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company, Solyndra Inc., estimates the project will create 3,000 construction jobs, and 1,000 permanent factory jobs.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future

CU and NREL RE InstituteResponding to National Need – Partnerships Required

Workforce Development Future Training CentersPurpose: ►Train out-of-work and underemployed for technician jobs in green energy: ▪solar panel installers; ▪wind farm technicians, etc. ►Manufacturing ►1 & 2 year certifications (Community Colleges)SolarTAC includes six public and private sector entities, all invested in advancing and accelerating the commercialization of solar technology. The entities, Abengoa Solar, the City of Aurora, the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory, Midwest Research Institute, Sun Edison and Xcel Energy, have joined forces and signed an agreement to develop one of the world’s largest solar test, evaluation and training facilities

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future

Energy Efficiency & Wind Technology Training Centers

EE Training CenterA collaboration between Veterans

Green Jobs, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Education Programs, academic institutions and other community organizations bring workforce training to the masses. A vacant industrial and commercial property will be redeveloped and repurposed into clean energy education and training centers. This center will focus on immediate workforce development needs and will be used as a training facility, and a public demonstration and education center for adaptive reuse, energy efficiency, conservation.Wind Technology Training Center

The wind visitor and training center will be housed outside of the National Wind Technology Center to provide access to all the latest wind turbine technologies will be on display and available to students, teachers and technologists for hands-on- skill training and certification programs.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy FutureOperated for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by Midwest Research Institute • Battelle

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