California
PGE San Bruno
Deadly Priorities: Why Did PG&E Spend Millions on Politics, Instead of Pipelines?[1]
As the San Bruno community struggles to recover from the deadly PG&E pipeline blast and fire, many are asking why the California utility spent tens of millions of dollars on political campaigns to weaken renewable energy goals instead of repairing pipelines. PGE’s own surveys said these pipelines were crumbling beneath their customers' feet. Read More[2]
Green Economic Recovery
Jobs in California's Green Economy Grew Three Times Faster than Jobs in Total Economy[3]
From January 2008 to 2009, the most recent observable year, jobs in the green sector grew more than three times faster (three percent) than total employment in California (one percent). The Core Green Economy now accounts for 174,000 jobs in California. The rate of growth of green jobs has been similar to that of software jobs since 2005.
- From 1995 to 2009, the Energy Generation sector created the most jobs in California’s Core Green Economy, adding nearly 20,000 jobs across the state and almost 3,000 jobs over the most recent observable year (January 2008-2009).
- The Bay Area and the Sacramento Area posted the strongest employment gains in the Core Green Economy, expanding by 109 percent and 103 percent respectively since 1995, followed by Orange County (67%) and the San Joaquin Valley (55%).
- The Bay Area and the San Diego Region led in green job growth over the most recent observable year, expanding by eight percent and seven percent respectively (January 2008-2009).
(video http://www.next10.org/next10/publications/green_jobs/2011.html)
Gov. Brown Stance
Renewable Energy
In April 2011, Governor Jerry Brown signed law landmark legislation (SB2x – Simitian), which requires one-third of the state’s electricity to come from renewable sources. The legislation increases California’s current 20 percent Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) target to a 33 percent RPS by December 31, 2020.
“This bill will bring many important benefits to California, including stimulating investment in green technologies in the state, creating tens of thousands of new jobs, improving local air quality, promoting energy independence, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Brown in his signing message.
“While reaching a 33 percent renewable portfolio standard will be an important milestone, it is really just a starting point - a floor, not a ceiling,” Brown continued in the message. “Our state has enormous renewable resource potential. I would like to see us pursue even more far-reaching targets. With the amount of renewable resources coming on-line, and prices dropping, I think 40 percent, at reasonable cost, is well within our grasp in the near future.”
*SB 2X is consistent with the spirit and intention of the Proposition 7 ballot measure of 2008, to jumpstart California’s renewable energy industry and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Gov. Brown at SB2x signing
