Clean power
Published on January 3, 2021 |
by Tina Casey
January 3, 2021 by Tina Casey
With all eyes on Georgia, now is a good time to draw attention to a new “fair transition study” from the Georgia Institute of Technology, which suggests how the U.S. can plan tomorrow’s workforce with renewable energy. The idea of a managed, balanced transition is particularly relevant to Rust Belt states that have all had the consequences of failing to plan for economic upheavals leading to unemployment, displacement and community unrest. In particular, the new research adds more fuel to the fire raging over clean power in Ohio, where state lawmakers are still desperately clinging to fossil fuels.
A fair transition to the 2035 carbon target is achievable by planning ahead for tomorrow’s renewable energy workforce.
Ohio sets the table for renewable energy Biz
Ohio’s history as a manufacturing center is well positioned to take advantage of the transition to renewable energy. The state’s skilled workforce, infrastructure, supply chain access and transportation network are all working in favor of new green jobs.
However, it did not shift fossil power from the state’s energy profile. The cost of clean power is declining, but fossil fuels are still holding a firm grip on electricity generation in Ohio. The state’s two nuclear power plants are also competing for their share of the pie.
As a result, the current state of the green economy in the Buckeye state seems rather bleak. Ohio is currently working on the unimpressive # 28 slot for installed solar capacity among the 50 states and employs less than 8,000 people in the solar industry. Its wind industry occupies a kind of gloomy position, while sitting on the 24-shelf for installed wind capacity and offering less than 2,000 jobs.
It’s not too awful, but leading American companies have been demanding more clean power for years. Fossil-friendly states like Ohio can lose opportunities to attract and retain businesses. Think about it, Ohio is in a particularly vulnerable position as it is close to more renewable-friendly states like Illinois, Michigan and Indiana.
Winds of change shine on renewable energy in Ohio
On the bright side, Ohio’s future for renewable energy may be closer than it looks. Despite a newly proposed 3-year moratorium on major wind and solar projects, clean power developers stand three depths to do business in Ohio.
Many of the activities take place in the solar power area. Last week we had friends around The Columbus Dispatch made a deep dive into solar activity in Ohio and came up with more than 20 solar projects at various stages of proposal, driven in part by the emerging data center market.
The Shipping estimates that these projects will bring a total of about 4 gigawatts of solar power to Ohio, which will cover more than 14% of the state’s total electricity production. This is a huge increase from the current point of just 0.5% for solar power.
The activity in the wind sector is also starting to absorb steam. In 2014, the state implemented cumbersome new restrictions on wind farms, but some of the country’s leading corporate power buyers helped break the loggam. Whirlpool was one of the former contractors of corporate wind power that wanted a future for wind power for Ohio in 2016, followed by GM in 2017 with another announcement about the wind farm.
A few weeks ago, McDonald’s also announced a giant deal for clean power in wind and solar power in Ohio and several other states.
A love letter from Georgia
If and when the locks finally develop in Ohio in the area of renewable energy, the dark side could be a nightmare for unemployment for thousands of fossil workers who cannot make the transition. Pushing fossils out of power generation is a good thing for the planet, but the random closure of fossil power plants is flowing into extractive industries, promoting bankruptcies and restructuring that could leave workers, pensioners and entire communities in the lurch.
On the bright side, Ohio could become a perfect test case for the ability of planning and foresight to prepare today’s fossil power for the green work of the future.
This is where the new Georgia Tech study begins. It focuses on power plants in the US and was written by Emily Grubert, an assistant professor at the Georgia Tech School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
You can see all the details under the title, “Fossil Electricity Deadlines for a Fair Transition, ”In the journal Science, but for those on the go, the title takes Gruber’s case for planning the development of green labor in line with the retirement deadlines for fossil power plants.
To put it another way, Grubert suggests that much of the heavy work for carbon dioxide oxidation of the power sector is already underway, as much of the country’s fossil power capacity must already retire in line with pres. .
On a capacity basis, Gruber estimates that approximately 73% of the gigawatts in U.S. fossil fuel generation by 2035 will reach the end of its typical lifespan.
This leaves the question of what to do with the remaining gigawatts. If they get stuck in the 2035 timeline, it could result in stranded assets and financial burdens beating workers, exposing communities in some regions to the kind of Rust Belt financial catastrophe that plagued the steel and automotive industries in the 1970s and 1980s. decreased.
However, Gruber argues that the fallout could be manageable, given the relatively small amount of stranded assets resulting from accelerated retirement.
On a lifetime basis, Gruber estimates that approximately 15% of capacity life would be stranded below the 2035 timeline. Compared to a baseline for 2018, this would mean about 20% of the jobs for mining power stations and fossil fuels.
“A deadline for electricity decarbonisation in 2035, as proposed by President Biden and the Democratic Party platform in 2020, will end up in only about 15% of fossil capacity years and 20% of working years, which is extremely low from a global perspective,” he explained. Gruber. “Such insights into the location and timing of possible plant closures are critical to informing specific, coordinated and locally based planning, which can significantly improve transition results but not be widespread or supported by a national framework.”
More green jobs for the US
If you caught the thing about the lack of a national framework, it’s true when it comes to White House policy. However, the US Department of Energy appears to have charted its own course on renewable energy during the Trump administration, and labor force development is part of the plan.
In 2015, the Department of Energy estimated that by 2050, the U.S. wind industry could support 600,000 green jobs, and it granted grants to help feed a steady number of skilled workers in the wind power pipeline.
The Department of Energy also began working with The Solar Foundation during the Obama administration on the development of workers on solar power, and it continued to accelerate the effort after Trump took office. One of the most important programs is the Solar Ready Vets initiative, which gives military active service an edge over training and employment services before they take action.
There is a nice wide pipeline. About 200,000 military personnel enter civilian life each year, and many are equipped with skills that are transferred to clean power.
As far as Ohio is concerned, coal and gas stakeholders have been holding the reins for generations, but it’s only a matter of time before home-based businesses with a growing footprint in the global renewable energy market begin to flex their energy policy muscles.
One company to look at is Canton-based manufacturer Timken, which strives for its 100 years of experience in bearings and power transmission to gain a larger foothold in the global renewable energy field. Last month, Timken announced new investments in China, Japan and Mexico in view of rising demand and new customers.
State lawmakers who want to convince Timken that Ohio should be the next target for new investment may want to take a closer look at the company’s latest vision statement, which calls for “boosting the renewable energy sector” and “embracing energy efficiency, pollution prevention, waste management and recycling programs at Timken facilities worldwide ”among its main objectives.
Just say.
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Image: ‘This map shows the locations of electricity generating facilities with projected service life extending beyond 2035 ″ by Emily Grubert, Georgia Tech.
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About the author
Tina Casey specializes in military and corporate sustainability, advanced technology, emerging materials, biofuels and water and wastewater issues. Tina’s articles are regularly posted on Reuters, Scientific American and many other sites. Pronunciations are her own. Follow her on Twitter @TinaMCasey and Google+.