Kerry’s claim that the “same people” who work in coal jobs can build solar panels misrepresents the nature of the rapid growth of clean energy jobs in America and undersells the challenge of the Biden administration’s plan to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
“It’s too glib and easy to say someone working in the mines can get a solar job. That is too simplistic,” @BGAlliance's Jason Walsh told me, who worked on green jobs in the Obama admin. "There is a mismatch between where energy jobs are getting lost and where they are created."
"We have to close that gap, but we also have to be real and help economies diversify their economies in ways based on their own assets," Walsh added.
Experts, however, credit Biden with proposing a comprehensive, long-term approach to strengthening the clean energy economy, focused not just creating jobs in wind and solar, but also from manufacturing and federal government procurement of electric vehicles and batteries
Walsh said Biden has sent a “totally different signal” by elevating these issues in the White House, tasking his Cabinet agencies with devising ways to help fossil fuel communities through tools such as grant-making, federal loan programs, technical assistance, & financing
Biden's broader view of clean energy jobs fits with how the industry views itself. @e2org counts more than 3 million jobs in clean energy, including workers in wind & solar but also in building efficiency, clean vehicles, power grid modernization, & battery storage installation.
“This is always a risk of overpromising. Is every oil rig worker going to be a wind turbine technician? No. But if we continue to grow the clean energy industry w/ a focus on clean, why wouldn't we want energy workers to continue to work in the energy industry?” says @bkeefee2
You can follow @SiegelScribe.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled:

By continuing to use the site, you are consenting to the use of cookies as explained in our Cookie Policy to improve your experience.