A federal investment in clean energy would boost jobs and cut pollution in Maryland and across the country, according to a
An economic stimulus package that includes $150 billion in clean energy investments would create 3 million jobs and reduce greenhouse gases by nearly 10 percent annually, according to Environment Maryland, which released the report prepared by its parent organization, Environment America. (Click here to dowload the report.)
“Energy efficiency and renewable energy will stimulate the economy for years to come,” said Rex Wright, chairman of the Maryland-based U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit devoted to sustainable building design. “Solar power is shovel-ready right now.”
President-elect Barack Obama has said clean energy infrastructure would be a component of his economic stimulus plan.
Investments in alternative energy, public transportation and green building would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 670 million tons per year when fully implemented, which is about 10 percent of annual global warming pollution, according to the report.
The projects also would replace the power equivalent of 170 coal-fired power plants with renewable energy and reduce oil consumption by more than 25 million barrels, the report found.
“This economic challenge we are facing today illuminates the fact that America is at a crossroads,” said Tommy Landers, policy advocate for Environment Maryland. “We should instead choose a path to a new clean energy economy.”
At the Century Engineering offices in Hunt Valley, where Environment Maryland announced the report, Chief Executive Officer Frances Smyth said the newly built headquarters were “proof the goals set forth by Environment Maryland can be realized.”
The building received a gold certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for energy efficiency. The company also has several green building projects planned that would benefit from grants and incentive funding.
The Maryland Energy Administration has a list of contracts already approved for work and awaiting funding. For example, the state is planning a $5.5 million energy-efficient overhaul to all the state’s police barracks, and about 400 residents are awaiting grant funding for solar and geothermal systems, said Director Malcolm Woolf.
“It’s impossible to underestimate the promise of green energy,” he added. “We can start these projects in a matter of weeks.”
