100 percent renewable energy is better for local jobs

A strong workforce is the backbone of Hawaii’s utility industry. Nobody knows this better than the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260, who represents over 3,200 members, nearly 1,500 of whom are dedicated linemen, operators, maintenance workers and others who create, maintain and administer our state’s electrical system.

This is one reason the IBEW was recently granted a seat at the table for the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission’s review of the NextEra EnergyHawaiian Electric merger. We feel it is critical that this process considers the impact on local jobs. The merger — and all the critical decisions being made about Hawaii’s energy future, on liquefied natural gas (LNG), smart grids, solar interconnection and others — will significantly impact the professional lives of current and future IBEW members. This is also why the IBEW and many others are jointly supporting legislation to mandate 100 percent renewable electricity, House Bill 623.

Diversifying Hawaii’s energy portfolio so that we’re ultimately consuming electricity that is 100 percent renewable and sourced locally has several widely recognized benefits:

» It makes us energy-secure, so we’re not dependent on imported fuel from volatile (both price-wise and peace-wise) foreign sources.

» It reduces our carbon footprint and our vulnerability to climate impacts.

» It lowers electricity rates because the utility can pay less for clean energy than it does for fossil fuels, and pass on those savings to customers.

Other places around the world are enjoying these benefits right now. During the first 75 days in 2015, Costa Rica, for example, produced 100 percent of its electricity from renewable resources. This resulted in a 12 percent reduction in electricity rates for customers.

But the economic benefits extend far beyond customer savings. Shifting to a 100 percent renewable energy economy would also keep $5 billion in the state, spent locally rather than used to import fossil fuels, and would create a substantial number of local jobs. Translating from jobs data compiled by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, it is estimated that 100 percent renewable energy could create upwards of 850 new local jobs per year for the lifetime of renewable energy projects. This type of expanded local workforce would take home $60 million in earnings each year for decades to come.

These numbers are especially important to the IBEW, as building an economy based on good local jobs is a priority to maintaining our goals: We want to give the youth of Hawaii an opportunity to learn a trade, raise a family, and stay in Hawaii. We also want to ensure that as Hawaii’s utility industry changes, so too can our members capitalize on new trades and learn new technologies. To achieve this, we are building Hawaii’s own training center on Oahu to teach young adults about electrical line work.

With a highly trained local workforce, the opportunity for more renewable energy to create more local jobs is an obvious one. Studies show that on average, more jobs are created by renewable electricity than by fossil fuel electricity. We are seeing this trend in Hawaii, where the solar industry alone currently boasts more than 100 solar companies employing 2,200 people — though more than 400 jobs were lost in 2013 as a result of the utility’s slowdown of solar interconnections. Nationally, solar energy is creating jobs 20 times faster than the economy overall.

At the recent Maui Energy Conference, energy expert Hunter Lovins commented that Hawaii has a singular opportunity to develop a model energy system for the future, one that doesn’t require fossil fuels. By doing this, she said, "You will create more jobs and more prosperity than any other options."

It’s time for Hawaii to make a commitment to 100 percent renewable energy. We can do it by 2040 in a way that’s responsible to the environment, consumers and workers alike. We don’t have time to waste.