CASE STUDY: New Energy Program Holds Promise for San Joaquin Valley

Image via WikipediaBy Sanford Nax

It's hot in the San Joaquin Valley. Residential power bills are among the highest in the state, but the region is rich with renewable energy resources such as sun and ag waste. It also has chronically high unemployment, which provides a ready labor pool.

It is a perfect place for testing clean-energy technology and energy-efficiency programs. That is why a new alliance of California businesses, labor, community and environmental leaders sounds promising.

It's called California Apollo Program, and the goal is to create a comprehensive strategy for creating clean-energy jobs in a state famous for innovation and technological advancement.

"The Apollo Alliance will work with our diverse coalition of business, labor, community and environmental leaders to ensure our state seizes the opportunity to invest in California businesses and create new jobs producing the clean technologies of the future," said Phil Angelides, chairman of the national Apollo Alliance, a broader group with similar goals.

The formation of the new group comes when California's landmark climate bill, AB32, is under assault. Proposed legislation, Proposition 23, would suspend AB 32 and goes before the voters in November.

The Apollo Alliance has an ambitious agenda. Here is just a bit of it:
- Generate 33% of California's power from renewable resources by 2020;
- Retrofit existing buildings and ensure new construction is green;
- Support public/private R&D partnerships;
- Help manufacturers retool factories and retrain employees to produce clean-energy products;
- Promote "Buy California: and "Buy America" policies'
- Recycle and reuse in California.

A partial list of endorsers include SunPower Corporation, Natural Resources Defense Council, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and California Energy Efficiency Industry Council.

Sanford Nax, project coordinator, San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization.

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