March 24th, 2009 · No Comments

By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

Shifting the U.S. toward more renewable wind and solar power would not only generate thousands of jobs and lower consumers’ electric bills, it would create new income for rural residents and vastly reduce carbon emissions, according to a new analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The UCS released a study today showing that if utilities were required to obtain 25 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025 it would:

• Create nearly 300,000 new domestic jobs

• Save consumers some $65 billion in lower gas and electricity bills through 2025; up to $95 billion through 2030.

• Generate $13.5 billion in new income for farmers, ranchers and rural landowners who could gain from hosting new wind and solar installations

• Reduce global warming pollution by 277 million metric tons a year by 2025, the equivalent of the annual output of 70 average-size new coal-fired power plants.

The analysis was released as Congress considers enacting a renewable energy standard (RES) – a requirement that U.S. utilities obtain a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources. Bills calling for an increase in renewable power to 25 percent by 2025 are active in both the House and the Senate.

“A strong renewable electricity standard would help pull our economy out of the ditch by creating nearly 300,000 new jobs,” said Jeff Deyette, an analyst with the UCS Clean Energy Program and co-author of the study, in a statement.

“Our study found that, kilowatt-hour for kilowatt-hour, renewable energy generates more than three times as many jobs than fossil fuels, leading to a net job gain of 202,000. More renewable energy would mean more workers building wind turbines and installing solar panels here in the United States.”

Said Alan Nogee, the UCS Clean Energy Program director: “A typical household would save nearly $70 in annual gas and electricity costs by 2025. Every little bit helps.”

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