Over three-quarters of the States
currently have laws promoting renewable energy. In order to find out
how Ohio ranks regionally, a survey was made of ten Midwestern and
Appalachian states*. The survey examined two questions:
- Does renewable energy cost jobs?
- Does renewable energy raise electricity rates?
We found the following results:
Iowa has both the highest percentage of renewables and the lowest
unemployment rate of the ten states surveyed.
In contrast, Ohio has the smallest amount of renewable energy. We are
about average for electricity rates and unemployment.
For the ten states surveyed, electricity rates do not depend on the
percentage of renewables.
In contrast, the states, like Iowa, with the most renewables have
the lowest unemployment rates.
The Michigan Public Service Commission has tabulated costs for renewables (Report on the implementation of the P.A. 295 renewable energy standard and the cost-effectiveness of the energy standards) . These range from zero to $3 per month, a tiny fraction of consumers' bills and of the state-to-state differences. In summary, the data do not support the
contention that renewable energy destroys jobs and raises electric
rates.
Detailed results of the survey are
posted at alanpeg@blogspot.com
…...............
* States included are Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky (no renewable law), Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Survey Details
The
latest data were obtained from reliable web sites. The
survey can be criticized, since the renewable data are for the end of
2010. An approximation of more recent data can be obtained from wind
energy as of the end of 2011 (AWEA Market Report), since wind
comprises most of the renewable energy in the region. The 2011 wind
data move Ohio to next-to-last.
List of Displays
1
Rates and Renewables
2.
Green Energy Can Reduce Unemployment
3.
Green Energy Ratings
4.
Best and worst States (in preparation)
5.
Preliminary 2011 Results (in preparation)
Display 1:
Rates and Renewables
The data below
show that there is no relation between the percent of renewables and
the cost of electricity for industry.
- StateIndustrial Rate,Cents/kWh(a)Renewable Electricity, % (b)Illinois6.52.7Indiana6.23.0Iowa4.917.9Kentucky5.13.0Michigan6.93.6Minnesota6.014.0Missouri5.32.8Ohio6.30.8West Virginia6.22.9Wisconsin7.27.1
(a) US Energy
Information Administration: Average Retail Price of Electricity to
Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, November 2011 and 2010
(2011 is reported in Table above)
(b) US Energy
Information Administration; State Electricity Profiles 2010
Display 2.
Green Energy Can Reduce Unemployment
The Midwestern
states with the most renewable electricity (Iowa, Minnesota, and
Wisconsin) also have the lowest unemployment rates in the region.
- StateUnemployment, %(a)Renewable Electricity, % (b)Illinois9.82.7Indiana9.03.0Iowa5.617.9Kentucky9.13.0Michigan9.33.6Minnesota5.714.0Missouri8.02.8Ohio8.10.8West Virginia7.92.9Wisconsin7.17.1
(a) Bureau of
Labor Statistics; Local Area Unemployment Statistics,
December, 2011
(b) US Energy
Information Administration; State Electricity Profiles 2010
Display
3. Green Energy Ratings
Ohio's
green economy ranks about in the middle of all states by
several measures. The chart
several measures. The chart
compares us with comparable states with respect to the use of
alternative energy (Column a),
energy conservation
(column b), and green jobs (column c).
National
Ranking of Green Energy Programs
in
Midwestern States
State
|
Clean
Energy
Ranking
(a)
|
Energy
Conservation Ranking (b)
|
Green
Jobs Ranking
(c)
|
Illinois
|
12
|
17
|
33
|
Indiana
|
33
|
32
|
32
|
Iowa
|
19
|
11
|
25
|
Kentucky
|
39
|
37
|
26
|
Michigan
|
14
|
17
|
27
|
Minnesota
|
8
|
8
|
16
|
Missouri
|
37
|
44
|
22
|
Ohio
|
30
|
24
|
21
|
West
Virginia
|
50
|
44
|
43
|
Wisconsin
|
15
|
16
|
8
|
a)
Clean Edge: CA, OR, MA, NY, & CO Top Nation in Clean Energy
Leadership, 18 May 2011;
includes electricity and transportation.
b)
ACEEE: 2011 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard Rankingc)
c) Brookings Institute: Sizing the Green Economy, 13 July 2011. According to this report Ohio has over 105 thousand green jobs, with an average pay of $39 thousand per year. About 70 percent of these jobs are blue collar.
c) Brookings Institute: Sizing the Green Economy, 13 July 2011. According to this report Ohio has over 105 thousand green jobs, with an average pay of $39 thousand per year. About 70 percent of these jobs are blue collar.
