Counties talk green jobs, economy, renewable energy

by Kelly Zonderwyk
SENIOR ASSOCIATE

Throughout the day-and-a-half event, participants viewed presentations on solar, wind and geothermal energy, climate protection, manufacturing and service jobs, energy-efficient homes and buildings, biofuels, and plug-in electric vehicles.   A key feature of the forum was the opportunity for attendees to attend roundtable discussions and breakout sessions focused on peer-to-peer dialogues.

Brian Castelli, executive vice president of programs and development for the Alliance to Save Energy, kicked off the event with an emphasis on energy efficiency and conservation as the nation’s greatest resource. 

Ross Tyler, director of clean energy, Maryland Energy Administration, discussed his state’s newly launched efforts for a clean energy consortium, along with the University of Maryland, for the future of procuring clean energy production in the state. 

In the Greening the Local Economy and Creating Jobs session, John Mello, of B’More Green, a Civic Works Green Project, described how they are meeting theemployment needs of Baltimore residents through environmental job training and brownfields employment development initiatives. 

“If a job is too innovative, it can’t be the target of a workforce development program,” he said.  The innovative program will venture more into “green-habbing” — “rehabbing” homes to make them safer, more comfortable and more energy efficient.

Ernest Shea, project coordinator for 25x25, said that by the year 2025 America’s farms, forests and ranches can annually produce86 billion gallons of ethanol, 1.1 billion gallons of biodiesel, 932 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, 15.45 quadrillion BTUs of energy from biomass.  These goals could generate $700 billion in economic activity annually and result in 4 million to 5 million new jobs. 

Greenhouse gas emissions come primarily from combustion of fossil fuels, explained Angela Vincent, regional director of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.  Fossil fuels supply 85 percent of the primary energy consumed in the United States and are responsible for 98 percent of carbon dioxide  emissions. 

Vincent described the tools available to local governments to inventory their greenhouse gas emissions and create an action plan. 

Broward County, Fla. recently named a Climate Change Task Force to develop recommendations for a coordinated countywide strategy in mitigating the causes, and addressing the local implications, of global climate change.   

Story County, Iowa is saving $201,000 annually in energy costs for three county buildings by using geothermal energy.

Salt Lake County, Utah, has established a “Solar Salt Lake” program with the intention of installing 10 megawatts of new solar photovoltaic installations in the government, commercial, industrial and residential sectors in Salt Lake City and County by 2015.

Helen Wu, director of innovation services for Johnson Controls, Inc. — a NACo Green Government Initiative founding sponsor — walked attendees through a research-based planning methodology with a user-friendly, game-board interface: the Sustainability Navigator Tool. 

Diane O’Grady, Energy Committee Liaison, Loudoun County, Va. said, “While Loudoun County made significant progress this year in energy saving initiatives, there is much more to be done and I had hoped to leave the NACo forum on energy with a few good ideas. I left with many great ideas, and some wonderful programs in exactly the areas and direction we intend to move the county next year.  It was well worth my time.” 

Presentations for the forum are now available at www.greencounties.org/energyindependence.

(For more information about the forum or NACo’s programs to help your county move towards energy independence, and grow your local green economy and create jobs, contact Kelly Zonderwyk at kzonderwyk@naco.org or 202/942-4224. )

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