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The Clean Energy Jobs Act FAQs

Q: Won’t increased funding for statewide energy efficiency programs come out of the pockets of Wisconsin ratepayers? We shouldn’t be raising energy costs during an economic downturn by adding more fees to our utility bills.

A: Investing more money in energy efficiency has a demonstrable, risk-free payback for Wisconsin residents and businesses. Over the long run we will use less energy, which means we’ll actually be reducing our energy bills. The cost of conserving energy is far less than the cost of building new power generation. Energy efficiency and conservation efforts are the least-cost means of mitigating carbon pollution. Investing in energy efficiency also translates into stable, family-supporting jobs, particularly within the building and construction trades and at the 50+ businesses in Wisconsin that manufacture Energy Star appliances, windows, and other products.

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Center for Climate Strategies: Macroeconomic Analysis of Wisconsin Climate & Energy Actions

Macroeconomic Analysis of Wisconsin Climate & Energy Actions

Implementation of the recently introduced Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) would expand the state’s economy and create thousands of additional new jobs for Wisconsin. These impacts are reported in a recent Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) analysis of the macroeconomic effects of the proposed law, conducted by Michigan State University and the University of Southern California in association with the State of Wisconsin. The analysis focuses on nine proposed policy actions that address clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency, industrial processes, transportation and agriculture. Based on a state-of-the-art macroeconomic analysis, implementation of these CEJA actions would result in the following outcomes for Wisconsin:

Create a net increase of more than 16,200 new jobs in the state by 2025;

Boost the state’s economy (Gross State Product) by

· $254 million in the near term (2015)

· More than $700 million in 2020

· $1.41 billion by 2025

· $4.9 billion total over the 2011- 2025 period.

Click here to read the full report

Wisconsin Clean Energy Jobs Act

The Clean Energy Jobs Act, State Senate Bill 450 and State Assembly Bill 649, implements the recommendations of Governor Doyle's Global Warming Task Force to address climate change and grow the state's green economy through several key measures:

- Enhanced renewable portfolio standards - A new 20 percent standard would be set for 2020 and a 25 percent standard would be set for 2025. The current 10 percent standard would be accelerated from 2015 to 2013. By advancing our current renewable portfolio standards, and setting new standards, we will ensure more of our energy dollars stay in the state, creating thousands of jobs for Wisconsin families in fields like construction, manufacturing, and agriculture.

- Enhanced energy efficiency and conservation efforts - Graduated statewide electricity savings goals would be set, leading up to a 2 percent reduction by 2015 and annual reductions thereafter. The cheapest way to lower carbon emissions is through energy conservation. By setting achievable conservation goals, this bill will help reduce energy costs in businesses and homes across the state.

A comprehensive economic assessment of the Clean Energy Jobs Act found that the package would directly create at least 15,000 green jobs in Wisconsin by 2025. More than 1,800 jobs would be created in the first year alone. The assessment also found that between 800 and 1,800 construction jobs would be created each year from 2011-2025, and more than 2,000 manufacturing jobs would be created once the laws are fully implemented.
(Source: Governor Jim Doyle - Press Release, January 7, 2010)

Read the full press release here.

Text of the legislation (latest version)

AB 649

SB 450

Economic Analysis of Clean Energy Jobs Act

The modeling shows that thousands of new jobs will be created as a result of the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Specifically, the results indicate that the legislation will create a minimum of 15,000 new jobs for Wisconsin by 2025, and more than 1,800 of those jobs will be realized in the first year of enactment. The greatest number of new jobs will initially appear in the construction sector, as a result of substantial new investments to update the state's buildings, install wind turbines and solar panels, and make businesses and homes more energy efficient. The model also predicts an immediate increase in total manufacturing jobs as a result of the legislation, with a minimum of over 2,000 manufacturing jobs added by the time the policies are fully implemented. Additionally, electricity bills will actually decrease over time because consumers will be able to meet their energy needs more efficiently.

Among the primary beneficiaries of the legislation are the construction and manufacturing sectors of Wisconsin's economy. The legislation is expected to create, at a minimum, between 800 and 1,800 construction jobs each year of the projection period from 2011 through 2025, and over 2,000 manufacturing jobs once the policies are fully implemented.
(Source: Economic Assessment of Clean Energy Jobs Act, State of Wisconsin - Office of Energy Independence)

Read the full economic analysis here.

Final Report of the Governor's Task Force on Global Warming

In April, 2007 Governor Doyle signed Executive Order 191 which brought together a prominent and diverse group of key Wisconsin business, industry, government, energy and environmental leaders to create a Task Force on Global Warming. The Task Force proposed measures to reduce a variety of our state's greenhouse gas emissions while growing the state's economy. In July, 2008 the Task Force voted overwhelmingly to approve the final report and recommendations, Wisconsin's Strategy for Reducing Global Warming, and forwarded the document on to Governor Doyle for consideration.

Read the final report here.

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