There has been a lot of talk lately about green jobs, specifically those dealing with alternative energy, but policy to create those jobs could take years to develop.
According to an article by Reuters, state green power mandates and regional cap-and-trade plans on emissions have been useful in pushing local economies to begin converting from fossil fuel plants to green jobs.
A national climate bill that could soon be seen by the Senate would require utilities to generate 15 percent of their power from renewable energy. The bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives.
Another $10 billion plan, the Clean Energy Deployment Administration, included in the carbon bill passed by the House would provide direct loans and government loan guarantees to alternative energy companies despite the failing credit market.
A good thing for those in favor of green jobs, passing climate legislation is one of President Barack Obama’s main goals. However, other lawmakers are becoming impatient with how long climate legislation is taking, afraid that many potential jobs will be sent overseas.
A successful example of how green energy legislation can be beneficial, New Jersey’s cap-and-trade plans are helping to provide jobs. The state’s membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – a 2003 plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants – has further helped more jobs to be created.
On top of that, tax incentives have helped New Jersey become one of the top state’s for solar power. This is impressive, as the state doesn’t have a lot of the natural resources that other states, such as Arizona and California, have.
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