New leadership brings changing approaches to the challenges and opportunities in the United States. With President Joe Biden’s election, the U.S. will begin to build more sustainable energy infrastructure. This means that renewable energy companies like Green Development LLC — long established in Rhode Island — will continue to grow and thrive.
One of President Biden’s key goals is to build a carbon-free electrical power grid. Biden has put forth a plan that would achieve this goal by the year 2035. This transition would have short-term and long-term effects on the energy sector. It would also have an impact on American workers.
Building a “Modern, Resilient Climate Infrastructure”
The long-term benefits of transitioning to clean energy are clear. Climate impacts from non-renewable energy are devastating to communities worldwide. Extreme weather events and local pollution decrease the quality of life for everyone.
In hopes of alleviating these crises, President Biden has proposed a $2 trillion climate plan. This plan is not only about regulating greenhouse gas emissions. It also involves U.S. investment in clean energy. The President argues that his administration’s plan would create as many as 10 million new jobs.
The creation of some green jobs will result from the transition of related industries to a clean energy future. For example, General Motors plans to produce fully emission-free vehicles by 2035.
Just Transitions and Clean Energy Jobs
In the short term, energy transitions will cause difficulty in some communities. For example, Eastern Kentucky communities that have long been reliant on coal jobs will need to find new revenue streams.
In the meantime, the contraction of the non-renewable energy sector is an ongoing economic trend. It is more of a function of market demand than of policy decisions. According to some research, the U.S. oil industry is expected to shrink up to 95% by 2050.
The Biden Administration is trying to mitigate the difficulties that communities will face from industry shifts. The notion of “just transition” refers to ensuring that communities harmed by the loss of non-renewable energy jobs will be able to recover.
President Biden’s plan to transition to a clean grid is intended to create millions of union jobs. His administration has developed a Task Force on Coal and Power Plant Communities. This task force will ensure positive transitions for communities negatively impacted by market changes.
Green Jobs
Meanwhile, the number of good-paying clean energy jobs continues to grow. Currently, the fastest-growing U.S. occupation is wind turbine technician. The median pay for wind turbine technicians is $53,000.
The third fastest-growing U.S. occupation is the solar installer. The median salary for solar installers is $45,000. These clean energy sector jobs pay well and help communities to thrive. Because of the expected growth of the clean energy industry, workers can build long-term stable careers.
The new administration is signaling its commitment to invest in clean energy. This means that clean energy companies like Green Development LLC will continue to flourish.
About Green Development LLC
Green Development LLC is the leading developer of utility-scale renewable energy projects in Rhode Island, specializing in wind, solar, and battery storage. The company delivers significant energy savings to qualified organizations through the virtual net metering program.
Founded in 2009, the company has built a portfolio of over 70 MW of solar and wind projects, with plans to add 111 MW more in 2021.
