On October 23rd, Environmental Defense Fund released a groundbreaking online map that identifies and profiles almost 2,500 companies in 22 states that are poised to grow their business and create new jobs when Congress passes a cap on carbon pollution.
The interactive site, online at http://www.LessCarbonMoreJobs.org, includes a map of companies in Texas that was just unveiled today.
The site also maps businesses in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia. The companies are involved in a wide range of renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, including manufacturing wind turbine components, shipping solar panel equipment and installing energy efficient building materials. Those are all economic sectors expected to benefit from demand for clean energy technologies created by a cap on carbon.
"These maps show a manufacturing boom that's ready to happen," said Jackie Roberts, Director of Sustainable Technologies for EDF, who spearheaded the research behind the website. "A carbon cap rewards companies that invent efficient and low-carbon ways of creating and using energy. That will create huge demand for the nuts and bolts of clean energy, and will create new markets and new customers for companies like the ones on these maps."
LessCarbonMoreJobs.org allows visitors to search by state, Congressional district and media market to find companies manufacturing windmill components, shipping solar panel equipment and installing energy efficient building materials. The site also has case studies and worker profiles, and provides business details and contact information for all companies.
Meridian Solar and HelioVolt Corporation, both in Austin, Texas, are two of the newest companies added to the http://www.LessCarbonMoreJobs.org site.
"I started Meridian Solar out of my Grandmother's garage 10 years ago and today we have over 40 employees on staff," said Andrew McCalla, the company's founder and CEO. "Clean energy companies like ours are not only surviving in the current economy, but are growing. That being said, our industry will grow even more, and faster, with improved municipal, state and federal leadership and regulations. A cap on carbon emissions would improve the landscape for clean energy and other industries, and Americans overall."
"At HelioVolt we are focused on manufacturing next generation thin-film solar products with a goal of delivering the most technologically efficient and cost effective solar systems on the market," said Dr. BJ Stanbery, the company's founder and Chief Strategy Officer. "Renewable energy companies like HelioVolt represent tremendous economic development opportunities. Being located in Austin, TX, has also allowed us to tap into a base of technology savvy employees who have been a part of the semiconductor business here and are now transitioning to green jobs."
Congress is now working on creating clean energy legislation that will help America use its vast renewable energy resources and move toward energy independence, while also creating much-needed jobs and protecting the climate. The House of Representatives passed a clean energy bill, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, earlier this year. The Senate just introduced the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act earlier this month.
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