Solar Saves America

SOLAR SAVES AMERICA HOW MANY JOBS WOULD SOLAR BRING TO YOUR STATE? There is now crystal clear evidence that state solar incentives are the single greatest factor in whether or a solar market can take off in that state, yet 37 out of 50 states still don't have even basic versions of these policies in place. We took a quick, very conservative estimate of how many solar jobs would be created in just a few years if U.Š. states put stronger solar policies in place. WA 2,513 NH 604 VT 177 MA 2,501 ME MT 313 443 ND 226 MN 1,440 OR RI 369 1,041 ID 541 NY 8,117 wV SD 284 WI 1,103 637 MI 1,962 WY 190 PA 3,109 ст 1,560 IA NE 629 NJ 2,879 1,465 NV 1,103 OH IL 5,922 1,58d 4,683 IN UT 714 CO MO 2,922 3,733 DC 291 DE 268 935 CA 8,521 KS 987 NC 3,657 MD 1,983 ок AZ 3,462 AR NM 619 1,290 1,011 AL 1,648 GA 2,758 SC 1,891 2,055 MS 1,033 TX 9,323 LA 2,021 AK 244 FL TN 2,491 7,853 HI 222 STATE'S SOLAR GRADE FOR 2010 KEY: STATE A B C D F * OF JOBS MAKING THE GRADE SEVERAL FACTORS WERE CONSIDERED, INCLUDING: In many cases, lower grades were assigned not merely due to an absence of solar policy but due to the active and undue influence of • The state's formal renewable energy goals • The variety and strength of solar incentives available to home and business owners in the state utility companies on a state's energy policy. We also considered each state's level of solar jobs per capita relative to the most mature U.S. • The ease or difficulty with which a home or business owner can have a solar system installed and grid-connected solar markets as a barometer of the state's overall solar market viability. Opinion poll • How fairly they are compensated for the clean energy they feed back into the grid responses from solar company owners were also considered. This scoring system is subjective and exclusive to One Block Off the Grid and was vetted against several external industry reports. Highly populated states without very weak solar policies are the ones most perfectly poised for a solar job boom. A few good incentives would unleash pent-up consumer demand for solar and create jobs in a big way. 10 STATES MOST RIPE FOR A SOLAR JOB BOOM THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF JOBS THAT WOULD BE CREATED OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD IF STATE POLITICIANS CREATED THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE SOLAR INCENTIVE, A "FEED IN TARIF," FOR HOMEOWNERS THERE. MICHIGAN 6,947 LOUISIANA 4,121 VIRGINIA 7,675 TEXAS 21,714 GEORGIA 6,916 WASHINGTON 5,845 FLORIDA 16,858 MISSOURI 5,850 TENNESS 5,439 SOUTH CAROLINA 4,058 States that have stronger solar incentives and received a higher solar grade also enjoy more solar jobs in their communities. Take a look át a head-to-héad matchup of two Northeastern states with very different solar outlooks. DO SOLAR INCENTIVES REALLY CREATE JOBS? MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTICUT 1 SOLAR JOB FOR EVERY 6,700 RESIDENTS GRADE: A VS 1 SOLAR JOB FOR EVERY 14,300 RESIDENTS GRADE: D CALL (DON'T EMAIL) YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT REP. IF YOU'RE REALLY FIRED UP ABOUT THIS... Your state government has the most power to create the kind of programs that spur job growth quickly, so if you're only going to make one call, make it at the state government level, not federal. Get contact info at: www.votesmart.org/ mystate_summary.php WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT 4 You can also call your senators and state representatives in Washington D.C. repeating all the steps mentioned. To get those numbers, go to Congress.org or call the main switchboard at (202) 225-3121 and ask for your state representative or senator. 20 MAKE SURE YOUR CALL COUNTS. MAGNIFY YOUR IMPACT. A staffer will most likely take your call. Tell them, I'm a voter calling in support of creating stronger renewable energy incentives and programs in our state. I've heard that New Jersey and other states have created a lot of new jobs through clean energy incentives. I'd like similar programs in our state." Encourage your friends and family to make the call. Here's a sample Facebook status: "T want more jobs created in the U.S., so I called state representatives in support of stronger clean energy incentives in our state. You should do this, too. Visit: www.votesmart.org/mystate_summary.php or Congress.org for contact info." HOne Block JOff the Grid HTTP://1BOG.ORG