Or ask the manufacturing workers in the Midwest who, because their companies successfully transitioned into clean energy manufacturing, escaped the job loss that befell millions of their brethren over the past decade. In Ohio, a business that once manufactured packaging materials now produces harvesters that transform algae into fuels and plastics. Another that produced large-diameter bolts for construction projects is now making bolts for wind turbines. Not only do these jobs provide the income and stability that Americans want, but they also contribute to U.S. energy independ­ence and fight global climate change.

The statistics don’t lie: Even without a comprehensive national policy, clean energy jobs in the United States have grown at more than twice the rate of overall jobs over the past decade, according to a 2009 study by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Passage of a federal clean energy and climate bill will increase these job numbers exponentially by unleashing a torrent of economic innovation that has the potential not only to save our environment and climate but also to revive the U.S. economy.

By Jerome Ringo in US News and World Report

Jerome Ringo is the former president of the Apollo Alliance, a coalition that promotes clean energy and green jobs. He is currently senior executive for global strategies with Green Port, a private company that focuses on establishing sustainable “green” ports around the world.  Full Article available at:  http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2010/02/22/green-jobs-are-putting-america-to-work.html

Until Dec. 31, 2010, homeowners can take advantage of a national tax credit on a variety of energy-saving products. Here’s a basic explanation of how the tax credit works, with help from the Internal Revenue Service.

There appears to be a cauldron of federal stimulus money going to waste these days because large numbers of Americans are more concerned about saving their houses than improving them.

This isn’t setting too well with the remodeling industry, especially home-center chains such as Home Depot, which has sent out a reminder that, earlier this year, Congress approved the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Meaning that, until Dec. 31, 2010, homeowners can take advantage of a national tax credit of 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500, on a variety of energy-saving products. Insulation, windows and doors, roofing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, tankless water heaters and alternative energy programs, such as solar panels and wind turbines, are covered.

Here’s a basic explanation of how the tax credit works, with help from the Internal Revenue Service.

What the law means: First, the provision that covers this is the Residential Energy Property Credit (Section 1121 of the act), which increases the energy tax credit for homeowners who make energy-efficient improvements to their existing homes. The law increases the credit rate to 30 percent of the cost of all qualifying improvements and raises the maximum credit limit to $1,500 for improvements placed in service in 2009 and 2010.

Didn’t we have this before? A similar credit was available for 2007. Standards for products that qualify for the credit are higher than the ones allowed in the 2007 law. To be helpful, the IRS is advising manufacturers on how they can certify that their products meet these new standards for the credit. Homeowners may continue to rely on manufacturers’ certifications under the 2007 law, such as EnergyStar labels, to see if products they bought before June 1 are eligible.

Here comes the sun: Then there is the Residential Energy-Efficient Property Credit, or Section 1122, of the Recovery Act. This is a nonrefundable energy tax credit designed to help individual taxpayers pay for qualified residential alternative energy equipment, such as solar hot water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, and wind turbines.

What’s new here: The new law removes some of the maximum amounts previously allowed, and permits a credit equal to 30 percent of the cost of qualified products.

So what should I look for? For insulation to qualify, its primary purpose must be to insulate (example: insulated siding does not qualify).

Windows, doors, and skylights: Starting Oct. 1, you’ll see a red or black label, in combination with EnergyStar designations, on these products. The label identifies high-efficiency products that now qualify as EnergyStar but don’t meet the stricter requirements effective April 1, 2010. Windows, doors, and skylights purchased on or after June 1, 2009, must have U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) ratings of 0.30 or less. These ratings must be certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). Look for the NFRC label.

Storm windows and doors: There is a tax credit. The best way to find ones that qualify for it is to ask your retailer for the Manufacturer’s Certification Statement for them.

Roofs? “Metal roofs with appropriate pigmented coatings” and “asphalt roofs with appropriate cooling granules” that also meet EnergyStar credits are eligible — just the materials’ cost, not the labor or roof coatings.

Alternative energy: Tax credits are available at 30 percent of the cost, with no upper limit through 2016, for existing homes and new construction, for geothermal heat pumps (they use about 30 percent less energy than a standard heat pump); solar energy systems — both solar hot water heating and photovoltaic power generating; residential small wind turbines with a capacity of not more than 100 kilowatts; residential fuel cell and microturbine systems with at least 30 percent efficiency, and hybrid gasoline-electric, diesel, battery-electric, alternative fuel, and fuel cell vehicles and electric cars.

Ask your tax accountant for details.

“Completing the world’s biggest wind farm took more than a billion dollar investment, coordination with more than 300 landowners and management of more than 500 workers,” North American CEO of EC&R Steve Trenholm stated. “Today is a great day for our company and the team that made this a reality.”

The project area spans parts of four Texas counties and the Roscoe wind complex covers nearly 100,000 acres, several times the size of Manhattan. The wind farm has a total of 627 wind turbines manufactured by Mitsubishi, General Electric and Siemens.

“Texas continues to lead the nation in the development of renewable energy and has more wind generation capacity than any other state and all but four countries,” Texas Governor Rick Perry said. “We are pleased that E. ON Climate & Renewables North America has chosen to open this facility in Roscoe that will further expand our state’s diverse energy portfolio.”

Read full article here: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eon-climate–renewables-completes-worlds-largest-wind-farm-63064012.html

DENVER, Colo. — A Chipotle Mexican Grill in Illinois with its own wind turbine and a 2,500-gallon underground water cistern to harvest rainwater was certified by the U.S. Green Building Council at the organization’s highest rating.

The Denver-based “fast-casual” dining chain of more than 860 restaurants and the USGBC announced the certification today.

The restaurant in Gurnee, Il., which opened last fall, is the first to receive the top green rating under the USGBC’s retail pilot program for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards covering new construction.

LEED’s five-tier green ratings start at basic certification and proceed to bronze, silver and gold before reaching the platinum level.

In addition to the 6 kilowatt wind turbine, which was expected to produce about 10 percent of the restaurant’s energy and is now described as generating “a portion” of the power needed, the Gurnee restaurant features:

• LED lighting
• Water-saving faucets and toilets
• Energy Star-rated kitchen equipment
• Landscaping with native plants, which are irrigated with water captured in the cistern
• Parking lot asphalt that reflects the sun’s heat instead of absorbing it

Chipotle started introducing energy efficiency and eco-friendly design elements in some of its buildings in 2001. Its first two restaurants that were constructed with green features are in Texas; one of them was featured in a case study by the utility Austin Energy.

The Gurnee restaurant and one that opened in a shopping in mall in Minnesota during the past year were designed to conform to LEED standards. According to the USGBC, Chipotle also has two further restaurant projects registered — one in Seattle and one on Long Island.

There are also credits available for energy-saving home improvements. The old 10 percent credit has now been boosted to 30 percent for 2009 and 2010 up to a maximum of $1,500 in the two-year period. Home improvements that qualify include skylights, windows, doors, biomass stoves and high-efficiency furnaces and air conditioners. The credit must be for the taxpayer’s principal residence and you must show all the appropriate documentation.

Installation costs are covered in regards to solar panels, wind energy, water heaters and biomass stoves but are not covered with windows, doors, roofs or insulation.

Credits are also available to individuals who purchase energy efficient vehicles. These tax credits are based on the weight of the car and fuel economy compared with base-year models. For hybrid vehicles for personal use, fill out IRS Form 8910 and for business purposes use form 3800. Check with your tax adviser to see if you qualify for any of these credits.    By Barry Armstrong (Money Matters)

An unusual alliance of business, trade association and environmental groups are calling on President Barack Obama, Congress and the Senate to implement a tax credit incentive for companies that add a renewable energy fund to employee 401(k) plans. The new legislation could be added to the near completed economic stimulus bill or follow quickly after.

According to the Renewable Energy Task Force of the South Denver Chamber of Commerce, the Renewable Energy 401(k) Tax Credit will be a high yield federal investment.

• Government cost of $7 to $8 billion dollars will generate $60 to $100 billion investment in renewable energy.
• Allow 50 million Americans to invest a projected 5% of their 401(k) plans to clean energy production.
• Create 500,000 or m ore clean energy jobs over three years.
• Create an annual increase of 20,000 MW of new wind, solar and geothermal electrical generation by 2012.
• Help renewable energy meet 100% of new national electricity demand in three years.

“Last year almost half of all new US electricity was generated from renewable energy,” says Jim Welch, CEO of Bella Energy, a Colorado based solar energy firm, “The Renewable Energy 401(k) Tax Credit will rapidly allow all new US electricity to be generated from renewable sources.”

American Wind Association data released last week indicates that more than 8,000 MW of new wind production was built in 2008 with investment in the wind energy sector passing the $17 billion mark. Totaling 42% of all new US generation capacity added in 2008, the newly added wind farms produce enough electricity for 2 million homes. These numbers are up from wind providing 30% of all new US electrical generation in 2007.

The additional annual $20 to $30 billion of new investment generated by the Renewable Energy 401(k) Tax Credit will help to more than double the number of new clean energy megawatts installed each year. With swift passage of the proposed tax credit bill, by 2012 one hundred percent of new US electrical demand can be provided by renewable energy. This is consistent with President Obama’s target to double renewable energy production over the next three years.

“In 2007, investment in the American renewable energy sector, including both wind and solar, was $19 billion dollars with employment of 116,000 people. More than 50,000 new renewable jobs were created in 2008 – that’s an impressive annual growth rate of 45%,” continues Jim Welch, “Congress and the Senate need to support the Renewable Energy 401(k) Tax Credit which will create $100 billion in clean energy investment and 500,000 new green jobs over the next three years.”

Reflecting the national trend, Colorado’s renewable energy sector has been experiencing rapid-fire employment growth. In 2008, AVA Solar added 550 new manufacturing and engineering jobs in Ft. Collins and Longmont. The new AVA manufacturing plant produces thin film solar panels at 30% of the cost of existing solar technology. Vestas built a new wind turbine manufacturing facility near Denver that employs 1,350 Coloradoans and uses 200,000 tons of steel annually to produce enough wind turbines to power more than half a million homes per year. Nationally, wind turbine and turbine component manufacturers announced, added or expanded 55 new facilities in 2008.

As renewable energy production rises faster than demand for electricity, surplus clean generation capacity will be used to retire aging conventional power plants over a 10 to 30 year period leading to significant reductions in climate change causing emissions.