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June 11, 2009 12:46 AM UTC

Colorado Leader in Green Jobs

  • 33 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

Some much-needed good news for Gov. Bill Ritter, whose “new energy economy” efforts will be one of the keys to his re-election bid: According to the Pew Charitable Trust, Colorado is one of just three states ahead of the national average for green job creation.

According to a press release from the Governor’s office:

Colorado is home to one of the largest and fastest growing pieces of America’s clean energy economy, according to a report released today by the Pew Charitable Trusts. The report, titled, “The Clean Energy Economy:  Repowering Jobs, Businesses and Investments Across America,” is considered a groundbreaking analysis that sheds light on an increasingly important part of the nation’s economic recovery.  This is the first effort by a major national organization to quantify the scale, scope and promise of clean energy jobs.

“I am very proud that Pew Charitable Trust is reinforcing our vision to transform Colorado into a national and international leader on new energy,” Gov. Bill Ritter said. “We have been extremely deliberate about rebuilding our state’s economy and converting it to a sustainable and knowledge-based one.  The Pew report shows that Colorado is at the forefront of the country’s New Energy Economy.”

The report found that jobs in the clean energy economy grew at a national rate of 9.1 percent, while traditional jobs grew by only 3.7 percent between 1998 and 2007.  There was a similar pattern at the state level, where job growth in the clean energy economy outperformed overall job growth in 38 states and the District of Columbia during the same period.   In Colorado, clean energy jobs grew at a rate of 18.2 percent in the same time frame, while traditional jobs grew by 8.2 percent, according to the report.

“Coloradans can be proud that our hard work has paid off – creating thousands of clean energy jobs and attracting more than $600 million in venture capital in the past three years – making us one of the top five states for clean energy investment,” Gov. Ritter said.  “With those efforts we are creating new economic opportunities and business, and reducing emissions of the pollution that causes climate change.   I am committed to continuing Colorado’s leadership in forging a path forward toward a new energy economy for our state, the nation and the world.”

Colorado is one of only three states (along with Oregon and Tennessee) that are ahead of the national average for the number of jobs in the clean energy economy (15,106) and annual growth rate (1.9 percent).  In addition, the report found that Colorado had more than 17,000 jobs in the clean energy economy in 2007 and also attracted more than $620 million in venture capital in the past three years-the fifth-largest amount in the nation. Three quarters of which have been invested in clean energy generation.  Jobs in Colorado’s Clean Energy category grew 50 percent between 1998 and 2007 and the Energy Efficiency sector grew 56 percent in the same time.

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33 thoughts on “Colorado Leader in Green Jobs”

  1. Some of your questions answered JO…

    Like the mayor of Denver, Gov. Ritter’s not perfect…but this shows the fruits of his leadership.

    Kudos to the folks at the GEO (which the CO-GOP wanted to eliminate even as they bend over to do the bidding of their fossil fuel masters) for their hard work and dedication to moving us into the future.

    1. As in brown-outs down the road cause the wind ain’t blowin’?

      We can hear the howls now when the Commanche plant explodes from operating at 120%, Tri-State becomes TriGreenState the bio fuel cooperative, and coal fired Kansas power is Cap’N Taxed at 500% as it crosses into Colorado via newly constructed green transmission lines paid for by a surcharge on out-of-work former natural gas workers’ Excel bills.

      That’s hardly shocking — except maybe to the ever-shrinking number of Ritter faithful.

      1. were caused by large utility companies–mostly well-heeled GOP donors–purposefully manipulating energy supplies to drive up prices.  But I wouldn’t expect you to frame a cogent argument.  

        1. or was your thought PSCCo ….

          During the late 1950s and the 1960s, Robert T. Person, who became president on January 1, 1959, also worked to meet increasing customer demand. In April 1959 the company began converting the abandoned Leydon mine into an underground gas storage facility. Gas held in Leydon could supplement gas coming through pipelines during hours of peak demand.

          On the electric side, the company began construction of the Cabin Creek Pumped Storage Project in 1964. Finished in 1967, Cabin Creak was designed to pump water up to mountain reservoirs during off hours and then, during the day, allow that water to fall through massive 268,000-kilowatt turbines. As with the Leydon mine, this extra energy would supplement normal capacity during peak hours.

          By the end of the 1960s nationwide natural gas reserves were beginning to diminish. Though supply problems did not directly threaten the company’s customers, Robert T. Person and other PSCCo. executives felt the company should begin searching for its own sources of fuel. Person assigned exploration responsibilities to the company’s pipeline subsidiary, Western Slope Gas. After two years however, he decided that an independent subsidiary would be a better way of structuring exploration efforts. So in December 1970 the company formed Fuelco to secure sources of natural gas, oil, oil shale, sulfur, uranium, and other minerals. Fuelco’s goals were later expanded to include all basic energy sources, including geothermal ones.

           

                1. Reasoning with Liberturd is pointless.  That’s why I have vowed never to reply again to someone who just ignores any facts you produce and moves on to the next talking point on the list.

                  And you’re right that Ritter IS very good on new energy economy issues and that’s very important.  I still think he’s a pretty crappy Dem leader and wish we had a better one going forward.  Agree that Ritter is better than any Colorado R alternative but that is SUCH a low bar. Also recognize, when all is said and done, there won’t be a Dem alternative. But I don’t have to like it and I won’t be going door to door for him. He’ll win without any extra effort from me and I just can’t do it.

                  1. The Gov might take away state workers Right-to-Work.  Now wouldn’t that motivate you!!!?

                    Just amend that ole EO for the SEIU bossman, right?

  2. Surely this will help the Governor of Denver when he’s out and about on the Denver cocktail party circuit.  

    Not so sure if it will help him in town hall meetings in Yuma, Greeley, Trinidad, Durango or Grand Junction, standing eyeball to eyeball with people who have lost their jobs (partly) because of his administration’s anti (traditional) energy positions.  

    Oh! Wait!  Ritter’s too smart to ever venture out in to the hinterlands — and he’s too smart to ever have town hall meetings that aren’t invite-only events.  

    1. and it ain’t Yuma.

      As I have requested before, but doubted then and now that you might provide any facts or otherwise support your claims, please provide some analysis other than the typical COGA-whine about how the O&G rules have led to people losing their jobs.  Yes, I want facts.  Yes, I want sources.  Yes, I want you to put it in context regarding the crashing global and U.S. energy markets, the shale plays, the pipeline capacity out of the Piceance…

      Ha ha, just kidding.  I know you can’t.  

      1. Looking at the way Ritter “governs” your point about him knowing where the votes are at is a good one.

        Tell us, o mighty twitty, what has Bill Ritter done to save oil and gas jobs in Colorado?

        1. oil and gas job lost because of the governor’s policies. You can’t. They’ve gone away because the industry gorged itself on a glut and prices cratered.  

        2. to chase them off? Gas below $3 chased them off. It’s called supply and demand, a concept with which most Republicans used to be familiar.

        3. 85 percent of Colorado voters live between Ft. Collins and Pueblo along the Front Range. Yuma, Trinidad, Durango and Grand Junction don’t have enough votes to swing a statewide election. They just don’t.

        4. 1-As Pols points out below, its just a function of population.  It has nothing to do with Ritter controlling my thoughts.

          Doing well in outlying areas help when things are close in places like Golden, etc.  but they don’t win the election.

          2-Once again you change the argument because apparently you cannot formulate one of your own.  And no, repeating COGA talking points is not an argument.  Here’s a template for you…

          1.Premise supported by FACT.

          2. Premise supported by FACT

          3. Conclusion supported by PREMISES (which are supported by fact).

          I am beginning to think you are intellectually-challenged.

      1. I wouldn’t call Geithner a blatant liar, he just forgot to pay taxes on $130,000 or so of income. GeithernerLIAR not so much, GeithnerTaxCheat no that’s literal and accurate.

  3. In Colorado “Apart from temporary work for builders, the industry (renewable energy sector)directly employees 1,500 – 3,000 people, according to the University of Colorado”.  May 23rd 2009 p. 37.  

    The Governor over states his case by talking clean energy economy.  He includes every one working at grease monkey and every accountant with a serge protector.  

    How many press releases and ribon cuttings can they have on the same bogus stats and announcing the same wind companies.  

    I am afraid the truth will come back to bit the Governor.  

    1. I didn’t think so. Here in case you want to consider it BEFORE you criticize the methodology.  You probably don’t, since that does not seem to be the way your side operates.  Attack without facts.

      http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_…

      It actually polled specific businesses directly engaged in the clean energy economy.  

    1. that is a really good point. Even giving Governor Ritter the benefit of the doubt and theorizing that the study goes through 2007, this is hardly because of anything that the Governor has done.

      One thing I’ll say is that if a similar study was done with updated data, it would probably show an even greater increase in our green economy during Ritter’s term.

      Nice catch though KK.

    2. and say…good catch KK.  Wow, my throat is burning.

      But I believe that RSB is correct; since A37 Clean Energy Economy jobs have gone up in Colorado, quickly compared to national trends.  I’ll try to dig up the info after I go listen to my master–Keith Olbermann…

      2. Very fair question.

        While Owens did focus on recruiting high-tech companies and attracting venture capital, I’d say his main focus was on creating a fertile jobs environment across the board.  I think it is a very rare thing that a company makes a relocation or expansion decision simply based on a gubernatorial ask.  They look at the bottom line — good workforce, affordability of running a business, tort environment, and a market for their goods.

        Sometimes economic incentives (tax credits and other handouts) can make a difference, but we don’t do that type of stuff very often in Colorado.  

        So does Owens deserve credit for building a good business environment and working to attract companies?  Yes.  But does ANY governor deserve credit for bringing specific jobs/industries to the state?  I can’t speak to Vestas or any other specific company.  But as I mentioned, I think it is rare for a company to pick up and move or expand simply because a Governor tried to recruit them.

        That doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense for a Governor to try, though.

  5. Rapid scan of the entire Pew report definitely puts Colorado at the forefront in green energy development between ’98 and ’07. And although most of that period preceded Ritter, I have no reason to think the trend has been any different since ’07. All in all a high five for CO! And, okay, I’ll say it, for Bill Ritter.

    All the better in light of Pew Report’s evidence of the intense competition for these jobs from all but a handful of the states in the Neanderthal Region.

    Oh, and for the sour WSlopers on this site feeling jilted by the Carbonistas, might as well give it up and start lookin’ for a job fixin’ buggies or maybe blacksmithin’. Now there‘s a future.

  6. How can Colorado be “one of only three states ahead of the national average”?

    Generally you have 25 states above average, 25 below, minus a few who sit directly at the average.  Or, if you want to give “average” a broader definition, you wind up with perhaps a dozen plus and a dozen minus.  It’s pretty hard to be one of 3 “above average” out of 50.

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