"Green Collar Jobs: A Beacon of Hope?"

Economic uncertainty. Depleted energy sources. Unfortunately, these are the issues that sit heavy on minds and slip from the lips of many across the nation. Whether the crises we face take shape in unsightly employment rates, or environmental stress, it’s clear that we need an alternative. As “green collar” jobs emerge and take their place among their “blue collar” and “pink collar” counterparts, time will tell whether this new job sector will function as a beacon of hope to stimulate the economy and help the environment.

As a country, we are in the process of gathering our bearings to make our mark in the world of renewable energy. Both Texas and Massachusetts are fighting to stand at the forefront of offshore wind power on U.S. soil, and it is a gritty battle. On October 6, 2010, the first U.S. offshore wind farm lease was signed and issued to Cape Wind, set to open in Massachusetts. Rumor has it that Texas may be able to dodge federal regulatory approvals, and have the first offshore wind energy turbine installed by late 2010. The importance of the position of the first project is pale in comparison to the fact that both will provide us with alternative energy, as well as jobs. According to statistics from the Department of Energy, the generation of a projected amount of energy at Cape Wind will create the potential for at least 43, 000 permanent jobs. Research conducted by Oceania, an organization focused on ocean conservation, reveals that offshore wind farming on U.S. soil could create between 133,000 and 212,000 jobs annually in the United States.

The creation of a transmission system intended for future offshore wind farms along the East Coast may motivate New Jersey, Delaware and other states along the Atlantic seaboard to compete to become the first in the region to establish this alternative energy source. Both Google and Good Energies, an investment firm geared towards the renewable energy industry, have teamed up to provide financial support for a project proposed by the Trans-Elect Development Company. The goal of this project is to create a transmission system which will serve as gathering point for wind farms stretching from New Jersey to Delaware. In addition to the potential for creation of more jobs, it encourages the formation of wind farms will eventually mean more jobs. In order to track the status of proposed offshore wind locations around the country, visit the U.S. Offshore Wind Collaborative Website .

< Noteworthy progress is being made in other sectors of the green world as well. Many will remember the 2.4 billion dollars that was pumped into the advanced battery industry (used in electric cars) under the Recovery Act. Not only will these funds create jobs in advanced battery plants across the nation, it gives the country an opportunity to become a major source of production in this industry, and replace many of the jobs that have been lost to companies overseas.

Statistics from the Clean Tech Job Trends 2010 report show that the U.S. is home to many facilities which have the potential to create a large amount of jobs across the nation. A few include A-Power Energy Generation Systems, a wind turbine creation plant based in Nevada that is set to open in 2011, and create 1,000 jobs. Tesla Motors, based in California, will open a state-of-the-art assembly plant in late 2011, and is also believed to create around 1,000 jobs. For the full Clean Tech Job Trends 2010 report, visit the Clean Tech Market Authority Website.