Energy Efficiency Creates Jobs for California
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| “Energy Efficiency, Innovation and Job Creation in California,” a report by David Roland-Holst |
Energy efficiency efforts in California over the past thirty years have created or saved 1.5 million jobs and added $45 billion to payrolls in the state, according to a report from David Roland-Holst of the Center for Energy, Resources and Economic Sustainability at the University of California, Berkeley.
The report, called “Energy Efficiency, Innovation and Job Creation in California,” said that if California improves energy efficiency by one percent per year and meets proposed cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, it will create 403,000 jobs by 2020 and increase the state’s gross product by $76 billion. California aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
According to Roland-Holst, when people save money on utility bills and gasoline, it frees up money for buying other things. Money spent locally on hairdressers or at restaurants goes further to spur the economy than spending money on energy, which is less labor-intensive and often sends money out of state and out of the country, said Roland-Holst.
Roland-Holst based his findings on household spending on electricity since the 1970s. California’s efficiency policies have cut per capita electricity use in the state 40% below the U.S. national average, the report said.
- Download the summary (PDF, 384KB)
- Download the full report (PDF, 1.5MB)
- Related: “CARB: State’s Global Warming Fight Will Lift Economy and Improve Public Health,” (e-Newswire, 10/1/08)
Posted by Stacey Meinzen on 10/31/08. Email story
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