Clean fuels can create new jobs, study says

SALT LAKE CITY — Developing clean energy could be the fuel to ignite Utah's economic engine, according to a new report.

A local study titled "Building the Clean Energy Economy: A Study on Jobs and Economic Development of Clean Energy in Utah" says that new investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy in Utah have the potential to yield significant economic benefits for the state over the next decade.

The report analyzes the economic impacts of a statewide energy portfolio that includes 20 percent energy efficiency and 20 percent of electricity sales from renewable resources by 2020. The findings show the creation of nearly 7,000 new ongoing jobs in the state, with $310 million in annual earnings and a $300 million annual increase in statewide gross domestic product, a news release stated.

Currently, about 4.5 percent of energy in Utah is produced from renewable sources, with an approximate rate of 13 percent efficiency for electricity.

The study was commissioned by Utah Clean Energy, a Salt Lake City-based nonprofit organization.

"The study shows that meeting the state's clean energy goals will create many jobs in the state of Utah — in fact, it results in a net increase in jobs compared to the current path," Kelly Knutsen, former senior policy associate with Utah Clean Energy and lead author of the study, said in an e-mail to the Deseret News.

No coal plants need to be closed to meet the goals, and for each job that would have been created in developing traditional power plants, nearly two jobs are created by developing efficient and renewable energy, he added.

Knutsen said the clean energy economy is presenting itself on a national and global scale, and this study shows that there is a strong job creation potential in bringing Utah into that economy. Neighboring states have attracted jobs and businesses to their state by pursuing policies like strong renewable electricity standards and measures to reduce barriers to energy efficiency, he said.

"Utah has taken important initial steps in that direction, but more can be done to move forward into this new economy," Knutsen said.

The study was requested by the governor's energy adviser, Dianne Nielson, to identify the economic development potential of increased adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy in Utah.

"Our objectives are quite achievable," she told the Deseret News. "They will make a big difference in terms of the energy picture in Utah, but more importantly, they will make a big difference in terms of jobs."

Nielson said implementing the efficiency systems in new and existing buildings would create a variety of jobs in fields like engineering and operations of those high-tech structures that will be long-term positions, benefiting the state for years to come.