Comments on: Green energy not a cure-all for job woes

By: Peasant Pundit

Peasant Pundit — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:52:05 +0000

Two main points here:
1) “Power production and delivery is capital intensive, not work intensive”
2) “Production of equipment for alternative energy doesn’t have to be next to where you use it”
This really is the crux of the problem across the board. We might produce wind or even conventional power here, but if we don’t produce the capital goods that go into these projects here, much of the multiplier effect is lost job wise.
Look at the recent controversy for shipping Asian made oil production equipment through Idaho to the tar sands of Canada. So while this production creates jobs, even more would be created if more of the capital equipment involved was made here (or at least within our own free trade zone).
As to ANWR, it’s called a wildlife reserve for a reason, and was set aside at the same time other areas were opened up. We should respect that.

By: Bob Clark

Bob Clark — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 23:13:30 +0000

Green Energy job hype is even more seriously overdone than this article portends. Solar energy in the Northwest is totally dependent on huge federal subsidies and whacked out state law. Over two thirds of the cost of solar generation is subsidized by state and local government. The state part is shrinking fast because of budget realities. The federal government has been very close to eliminating ethanol subsidies just this year, and when the GOP takes the house next year, federal subsidies will probably start shrinking for all renewables rather rapidly.

It’s a good thing too because renewables are not a competitive solution to America’s energy needs. Opening up drilling in places like ANWR delivers a whole lot more energy in bulk, and at a profit to the government. The drillers pay royalties and income taxes on profits.

One only has to look at Spain’s renewables push which cost two jobs for every one green job. In oregon, the BETC’s have depleted state finances such that schools have been cut back costing teacher jobs. So, politician’s talk of green jobs is really snake oil.

By: A Perspective

A Perspective — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:05:33 +0000

This is an excellent article bursting to a great extent the balloon of “green” jobs. But, I don’t see any connection to the expected “mass retirement” of baby-boomers. Franky I don’t see that there is a connection because the industry is relatively new and its workforce fairly small, but it is the Journal’s theme.