Investing in a Renewable Energy Economy to Create Good Paying Jobs

Colorado is at an important crossroads. We have the opportunity to become the renewable energy capital of the country by investing in a clean alternative energy economy that will both protect the environment and create jobs.

In the 1950’s, President Eisenhower invested in the national highway system, which created economic stimulus and jobs. Colorado must now show similar leadership by investing in a clean alternative energy system or infrastructure to both deliver clean alternative energies and foster capital investments from the business community.

During the past three years, the Colorado legislature and Governor Ritter have passed over 30 clean alternative energy bills, such as a bill which doubled our renewable energy standard to 20% by 2020. Additionally, we passed legislation to require utilities to launch energy saving programs including rebates for customers who install energy efficient lights, appliances, and installation.

Colorado now ranks fourth in clean-energy employment, has the second-highest renewable-energy standard in the nation, and has grown its clean-tech sector by double digits even in a recession.

Now, we need to invest in the next round of clean alternative energy by empowering homeowners with incentives to install solar panels, wind, geothermal or energy efficiency improvements.

Visit the "Other Issues" Section of this Web Site to Learn How to Earn a Job in the Growing Renewable Energy Sector. 

Representative Miklosi Passes New Energy Job Creation Act

Many Colorado citizens would like to increase their home’s property value, make their home more energy efficient, participate in the new green economy in a practical way, and help stimulate Colorado’s economy. 

The New Energy Jobs Creation Act will create a special improvement district that will empower you and approximately 50,000 Colorado home owners to voluntarily join the district, collectively bond on the open bond market, receive approximately $25,000 to install solar or wind or geothermal or do energy efficiency/weatherization improvements on your home, and pay the loan back over 20 years through your property taxes at a fixed rate.  The annual average assessment will range from $500 to $1,500 a year. 

The major economic benefits include creating 2,000 to 3,000 jobs during the next three to five years, increasing your property value by 10% long term, greening the state, and attract future renewable energy manufacturing companies to our state.  Colorado is the first state in country to implement a statewide renewable energy district.

Additional Benefits 

• Provides a practical way for Colorado home owners to help protect the environment.

• Attracts solar and wind manufacturing companies to Colorado because we will continue to be a national leader in renewable energy.

• Eliminates the big up-front investment that has blocked the widespread adoption of sensible energy improvements which normally take years to pay for themselves.  Property owners save money from day one, since the energy cost savings are greater than the special property tax assessment.

• The resulting widespread investment in energy improvements provides an immediate economic boost for Colorado and creates desirable jobs in the New Energy Economy.\

• Best of all, there’s no cost to taxpayers, since the bonds are paid off over time by the property owners who choose to participate in the program.

• Other benefits include cutting our dependence on foreign oil, reducing global warming, and enhancing Colorado’s position as a renewable energy leader.

Other Job Creating and Renewable Energy Accomplishments

Increasing Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard:  Large utilities are required to produce a third of their power from renewable sources by the year 2020.  A new Renewable Energ Standard will create 1,000s of jobs for folks from engineers to solar installers, will increase our energy independence, and will protect our environment (HB 1001).

Clean Air:  Clean Jobs Act: With a balanced approach to responsible drilling and environmental protection, this creates job, cuts air pollution, and increases the use of cleaner energy sources by closing Front Range coal-fired power plants and replacing them with facilities fueled by natural gas and other low-emitting energy sources (HB 1267).

Job Creation & Training:  Creating new green-job training programs. With green-job training programs in our community colleges, we’ll ensure that Colorado is supplying new energy companies with an educated and skilled workforce (HB 1333).

Enacting the Health Care Jobs Act and a Nurse Loan Repayment Program: Increase nurse applicants by 50% and will help primary care physicians create over 20 jobs in their community (HB 1138 and SB 58).

Growing Jobs in Colorado’s Creative Industries:  This legislative package makes it easier for small arts-related businesses to access state loans and credit (HB 1180), increases art in public places (SB 94), and streamlines arts offices/programs (SB 158).

Other Renewable Energy Goals

We also should focus on providing incentives to reduce vehicle emissions and partner with Colorado's universities to invest in clean energy, research and development, such as fuel cell technology. Start-up companies and investors want to partner with state's that invest healthy research and development budgets into their universities. These types of public private partnerships create both jobs and economic stimulus and prestige for our institutions of higher education.

Finally, we need to expand the innovative collaborative arrangement between our higher education institutions, such as Colorado State University, the Colorado School of Mines, Colorado University, and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) to invest in clean alternative energy.  If we view our higher education institutions as job incubators as well as places of higher learning, we will create a more solid economic foundation for Colorado.