PEOPLE
A renewable energy economy will create skilled jobs for the next generation of Nebraskans.
POWER
Nebraska has a unique public electric industry owned by the citizens. We elect the decision makers who represent us and work for our interests.
PROSPERITY
Nebraska can harvest our native resources to secure our energy independence.
Tomorrow the House of Representatives will vote on the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act
This comprehensive clean energy bill will put us on a path to create millions of new jobs, promote energy independence and national security by reducing our dependence on oil and protect our children and grandchildren from the worst impacts of climate change. For the first time in America’s history, the prospect of having a comprehensive energy strategy is more than just a pipe dream.
When the bill was voted out of the Energy & Commerce Committee on May 21, it included:
* Reduce global warming pollution 17% by 2020, 40% by 2030 and more than 80% by 2050.
* Boost production of renewable energy by establishing a national standard of at least 12% and as much as 15%.
* Protect low and middle-income consumers from fluctuations in energy prices as we make the transition to a clean energy economy.
* Lead to the creation of millions of jobs in the clean energy sector and put America on a path to be a world leader in clean energy technology.
* Increase the efficiency of our energy use by setting stronger building efficiency codes, requiring utilities to invest in energy saving technologies, and making federal investments in energy efficiency, all of which will save businesses and consumer billions of dollars.
Why the American Clean Energy and Security Act is good for Nebraska’s Energy Future…
New Economy is growing, and gaining mainstream attention from companies
Our neighboring states, Iowa and Colorado are leaders in the renewable energy industry now. Iowa produces 2,790 MW of wind power, the second largest amount of wind energy in the United State. It is also became the home to 1,000 new clean energy manufacturing jobs last year.
On May 25 Time magazine cover story was ‘The Future of Work’ and one of the ten predictions the article made was “It will pay to save the planet.”
(http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1898024_1898023_1898079,00.html)
The May 15 issue of Fortune Magazine highlighted their green conference where business and government leaders discussed how to grow in an era of climate change.
(http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/fortune/0905/gallery.dumaine_green.fortune/index.html)
For months, Business Week has been featuring a ‘Green Biz’ section.
Things are happening locally
The Wind Energy Task Force
This year the Nebraska Legislature passed an interim study resolution to study the ability to expand wind energy development in Nebraska, for consumption and export. The study will work within the parameters of the U.S. Department of Energy findings that Nebraska has the capacity to produce 7800 megawatts of wind power by 2030.
Job Training programs
This fall, Northeast Community College in Norfolk is planning to start a one-year wind energy technician diploma program to train students to maintain commercial and residential wind energy systems.
According to the American Wind Energy Association 800 new wind technician jobs were created across the country last year, and there’s a demand for more. These positions usually make about $25 an hour.
Cleaner Greener Lincoln Initiative
On May 12, Mayor Chris Beutler announced his priorities for $2.4 million in federal energy stimulus funds coming to the City are to improve energy efficiency and boost the use of renewable and clean energy technologies across the community.
Opportunity - Clean Jobs
Nebraska possesses the 6th largest wind resource in the U.S. and is located in the center of the nation’s wind corridor. Despite our high potential, we rank as low as 24th nationally for actual wind power production.
According to the ‘20% Wind Energy by 2030′ assessment released by the U.S. Department of Energy last year, if the U.S. wanted to generate 20% of its electricity from wind by 2030, the nation would need Nebraska to produce between 5,000-10,000 MW of wind energy. Producing that much new energy means new jobs.
How does that translate into jobs and economic development?
For instance, to construct just one large wind turbine (1.5 MW) it requires 250 tons of steel, 8,000 different parts need to be manufactured and assembled, those parts need to be transported to the site, and the wind turbine needs to be assembled.
A report released in April of this year from AWEA approximated that 85,000 people are employed in the wind industry today, holding jobs in areas as varied as turbine component manufacturing, construction and installation of wind turbines, wind turbine operations and maintenance, legal and marketing services, and more.
(http://www.awea.org/newsroom/releases/Annual_Industry_Rankings_2009_041309.html)
For an industry that is just starting to emerge, the number of jobs created from wind energy total 85,000 in the United States and already exceeds the existing 81,000 jobs generating power from coal, according to a report from the American Wind Energy Association in 2008. Currently, wind power constitutes only percent of the overall energy mix in the United States, and as we look toward increasing that number, the number of jobs created will increase.
Export Market
If Nebraska started to take advantage of its world class resource we could export the energy and generate revenue for the state. Wyoming, who exports coal to states like Nebraska, doesn’t have a property tax.
Future coal won’t be cheap
Our power generators are getting older. This May, the coal power plant, in the Nebraska City area, is the first one built by the publicly owned utility company since 1979. OPPD will use about half of the 682 megawatts generated by the new plant and sell the rest to seven other utilities in Nebraska, Missouri and Minnesota.
Ken Roth, OPPD division manager of projects and construction, said the timing of the plant couldn’t have been better. It was built before construction costs began spiraling upward, he said, and came on line just as the need for electricity began to increase.
The project that began in 2005 was completed, costing 700 million dollars.
“Our timing was just perfect as far as getting the best prices possible,” Roth said. “If we were to start construction now, it would cost 1½ to twice as much.”
That translates to 1- 1.4 billion dollars.
Alliant Energy, with plans to build a new coal plant estimated, in 2007, that the cost of the project would be 800 million dollars. 2 years later, the cost of the project was estimated to cost between 1.1. - 1.2 billion dollars.
Renewables produce comparable bills
One excuse given is that it [clean energy] is too expensive. Nebraska utilities are preparing an advertising campaign to remind you that if you want low rates, you want to burn coal. What these ads won’t tell you is that the “low-cost coal” comes from plants that are 30 years old and in need of significant and costly modifications in the near future. The energy from the next coal plant will be substantially more expensive.
And, our low rates don’t translate to lower bills. According to the Energy Information Agency, the average household pays $65.72 a month in Colorado, $76.40 in Minnesota, and $83.65 in Iowa compared to $78.04 in Nebraska. These are all states that are developing substantial amounts of wind energy. So why are families in states using “more expensive” renewable energy paying less each month than Nebraskans? Even in Iowa, where costs are more-it is no more than the cost of a modest lunch each month. Would you pay $5 a month for cleaner air?