According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, a total of 751,051 "green jobs" were created or maintained in 2006. Of those jobs, almost 127,500 of them related to renewable power generation. The majority of the jobs in question, approximately 85% were located within metropolitan areas. However, with the increasing popularity of renewable energy in today's market, the potential for employment in these areas can increase greatly. Santa Cruz Ca, real estate benefits when people improve their home with energy efficient products.

Projected Renewable Energy Jobs and Industries

The Energy Information Administration estimates that the electric power sector generated just over 4 trillion kilowatt hours. Of that, just about 8% was generated from renewable sources. Hydroelectric power is perhaps the largest contributor to the generation of electricity, and has been a significant creator of jobs in both manufacturing and operation of various hydroelectric jobs around the country. Since hydroelectricity has been a part of the infrastructure for a number of decades, the workforce is becoming older, and the need for an influx of skilled workers will undoubtedly increase in the coming years.

One of the most promising sources for alternative energy is wind. Geographically speaking, the areas with the highest potential for employment generation with a new energy infrastructure are in the northern and western parts of the country. In considering Santa Cruz real estate for wind potential, a survey of the area winds is helpful to determine the suitability of the site. If wind energy is pursued, the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas and Texas would be the most likely places for wind energy generation farms, and the associated employment opportunities. They are estimated to have a total potential power generation of approximately 4,500 billion kilowatt hours, which is more then enough to power the entire United States for at least 9 months. In addition, states such as Maine, New York, and Michigan also provide many opportunities for wind generation. If wind is actively pursued as a source of alternative energy, a substantial amount of jobs can be created and maintained. Potential jobs could include construction and maintenance of the wind generation farms, construction and maintenance of new transformers for electricity transportation, and jobs to regulate the flow and amount of electricity geographically. The American Wind Energy Association is a great place to find more information at awea.org.

Another potential powerhouse when it comes to alternative energy is solar power. Solar power has the potential to generate a significant amount of jobs, as well as decrease our national reliance on fossil fuels. The basic technology has been around for years, but the widespread adoption has not occurred basically due to the higher cost of power generation compared to fossil fuels. However, with the increasing cost of using fossil fuels, as well as advancements in solar panel technology, the cost difference is becoming smaller everyday.

Solar power generation supports many additional manufacturing jobs, as the final product producers make use of raw materials and intermediate goods from suppliers. There is not only potential job creation within the solar panel industry, but all the industries that supply materials needed for production.

A third source of alternative energy that could create new jobs is that of geothermal energy. The technology used in geothermal energy uses the heat and steam within the ground, and either uses them directly or indirectly to generate electricity. Unlike solar and wind generation, which so far has contributed little to the country's energy infrastructure, geothermal energy has been a part of it since the early 1970's. In fact, between the years of 1970 and 1980, the net generation of electricity by geothermal methods have increased by a factor of ten, and tripled by the early 1990s. However, a plateau was reached, and in 2007 geothermal energy produced approximately 14.9 billion kilowatt hours of power to 1.3 million homes. This equals approximately 4.7% of the all renewable power generation, leaving a significant room for expansion. In fact, the U.S. Geological survey has indicated that the geothermal potential might be as much as ten times higher than what is currently utilized.

Each of these renewable energy sources, if pursued has the potential to create a number of new jobs in the production of raw materials, construction of the equipment need for power generation, and the operation of the new infrastructure. In addition, since the technology is fairly new, how they impact the environment and the population is relatively undetermined at this time. This lack of information can also lead to jobs created in order to regulate and study the energy generated from these sources.

Creating a new energy infrastructure will be a daunting undertaking, and the need for skilled workers cannot be overly stressed. By understanding which industries affect and are affected by renewable resources, the areas of potential job growth can be easily seen.