North Carolina created "clean-energy economy" jobs at more than twice its overall job-growth rate from 1998 to 2007, reports a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Pew says its nationwide study is the most detailed of its kind, counting actual jobs rather than relying on estimates. It defines clean-energy jobs as those that help produce energy, use it more efficiently, reduce greenhouse gases and pollution or conserve water and other resources. However, that does not include nuclear power.
In the decade studied, North Carolina's number of clean-energy jobs grew 15.3 percent, to about 17,000, compared with 6.4 percent for all jobs, the study found. That growth rate ranked 21st highest nationally.
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Clean-jobs growth has occurred without consistent regulatory support, Pew said. "All the states that grew were responding directly to consumer demand," said lead researcher Kil Huh.
For example, I'm in the process of purchasing a solar water heater. With tax rebates and ignoring discounting, it might pay for itself in 5-7 years. Those are the financial benefits. The social benefits are that I'll be able to brag about it to my friends, family and blog readers almost daily.
