Green Energy Jobs? 9 Billion Dollars Gets 910 Jobs

Van Jones Must Be So Proud

From: CNSNews.com

The Obama administration distributed $9 billion in economic “stimulus” funds to solar and wind projects in 2009-11 that created, as the end result, 910 “direct” jobs -- annual operation and maintenance positions -- meaning that it cost about $9.8 million to establish each of those long-term jobs.

At the same time, those green energy projects also created, in the end, about 4,600 “indirect” jobs – positions indirectly supported by the annual operation and maintenance jobs -- which means they cost about $1.9 million each ($9 billion divided by 4,600).

Combined (910 + 4,600 = 5,510), the direct and indirect jobs cost, on average, about $1.63 million each to produce.

As explained in a report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (“economic stimulus”) of 2009 included Section 1603, a grant program run through the Treasury Department.

The 1603 program offered “renewable energy project developers a one-time cash payment” to reduce the need for green energy companies “to secure tax equity partners” and also help them to achieve  “ ‘the near term goal of creating and retaining jobs’ in the renewable energy sector.”

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (EREL) tracked the grant program from its inception in 2009 through Nov. 10, 2011. Its report is entitled, Preliminary Analysis of the Jobs and Economic Impacts of Renewable Energy Projects Supported by the 1603 Treasury Grant Program.

The report explains that the program provided “approximately $9.0 billion in funds to over 23,000 PV and large wind projects.”  PV stands for photovoltaic, which is the method by which solar power is turned into electricity, usually with solar panels or solar cells.  There were specifically 197 large wind projects and 23,692 PV projects that received funds, according to the EREL report.

For calculating the number of green jobs created, the EREL did not actually count the people working at the facilities but instead relied upon Jobs and Economic Development Impact, or JEDI, computer models.

In its summary, the EREL report states that for the 2009-11 timeframe there were an average 52,000-75,000 “direct and indirect jobs per year” created for the construction, installation, and related work on the wind and solar projects.

These were temporary jobs, construction and installation work at the facilities, not long-term positions at the green energy sites.

The number of  these “indirect,” temporary construction jobs averaged between 43,000 and 66,000, according to the EREL, and the “direct” jobs “supporting the design, development, and construction/installation of systems” averaged out to about 9,400 per year.


For the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the photovoltaic and large wind systems, however, the report states there are “between 5,100 and 5,500 direct and indirect jobs per year on an ongoing basis over the 20- to 30-year estimated life of the systems.”

The report further clarifies that from that number there are 910 direct jobs and 4,200-4,600 indirect jobs per year.

The 910 jobs are “directly supporting the O&M of the systems” and  that number “is significantly less than the number of [indirect] jobs supporting manufacturing and associated supply chains.”

Through the grant program, $9 billion was spent to, in the end, establish 910 jobs that will last upwards of 30 years. That means those jobs cost, in the end, about $9.8 million to create.

Add in the indirect jobs -- high estimate of 4,600 -- and there are 5,510 total jobs (direct and indirect). Starting with the $9 billion in grants, the end result to establish 5,510 jobs averages out to $1.63 million per job.

Why Obama's Flip Flop On Gay Marriage Will Hurt His Re-Election

I wanted to take a moment to present an objective assessment of the political fallout from Barack Obama's flip flop on gay marriage. First of all it's quite obvious to all as evidenced by the polling that this was not a heartfelt transformation,it is transparently opportunistic. It won't work and given the timing it's awful politics. It might have worked in a booming economy, but this decision as an effort to distract from the economy is insulting.

The American People are always focused on the economy, but in our current state of economic stagnation (at best) the amount of publicity on the matter must be annoying if not infuriating to the public at large.

Why won't it work? Why won't we fall for the slight of hand? Consider this. If you're one of the millions of Americans out of work,underemployed or on food stamps are you thrilled to turn on the news and see all the gushing over his "evolution"?

Looking for a job? Don't worry, Our President has evolved!
Struggling to pay the rent or mortgage? Gay marriage will save you!
Struggling with rising gas and food prices? Hey, at least you can marry anyone you want!
Concerned about the quality of your child's education? Don't worry their teachers will enlighten them on the wisdom of Obama's "evolution" even if they can't read at their grade level and are destined to a future of crippling student loan debt for a college education that no longer pays dividends.

Sooner or later Obama will be forced to defend the economy and nothing can save him from that fate. Sooner or later he'll have to make the case to millions of Americans why his economy is worthy of a repeat performance. The American People will not accept an "I support gay marriage" answer to a question about creating jobs. There are too many people who are searching for real hope for a better tomorrow. They will ask: What does it matter who we can marry if I have no job and struggle to keep a roof over my head and food on the table?

Barack Obama is going to find out the hard way that it really is the economy stupid.

Barack Obama On Jobs

Solyndra's SEC filing contains a surprise

 From: Native Intelligence

Solyndra, Inc. - the hottest name in scandal right now - was nothing if not ambitious. A lot has been made of the firm's $535 million loan guarantee from the Dept. of Energy, now in jeopardy after the company declared bankruptcy. And it's a controversy that keeps on giving.

A close look by LA Observed at the company's SEC filings shows that it also was seeking additional DOE loan guarantees of $469 million for Phase II of its so-called Fab 2 solar power manufacturing facility in Fremont. And, get this, DOE - according to Solyndra's Dec. 18, 2009 application for SEC approval to sell common stock - tentatively gave this 2nd loan application its approval. Here's the story right from Solyndra's own S-1:

"On September 11, 2009, we submitted Part 1 of an application for an approximately $469 million guaranteed loan to be utilized to finance the construction of Phase II. As with the financing facility for Phase I, the loan would be made by the Federal Financing Bank and guaranteed by the DOE. On November 4, 2009, we were notified by the DOE that our Part 1 application was complete and that Phase II was determined to be a Section 1703 eligible project and to have the credit subsidy cost for the project paid out of funds allocated under Section 1705. We submitted Part 2 of our loan guarantee application on November 17, 2009."

It's not clear just how far along this Phase II plan got before Solyndra went into bankruptcy. An internet search shows that the Phase II funding plan is like the proverbial tree that fell in the forest - and no one heard it. And there is no doubt that the Phase II financing plan was distinct from the much-talked about $535 million loan guarantee that was approved by DOE. The following language, also excerpted from the company's S-1 SEC filing, makes that clear:

"Phase I Financing

We were the first company to secure a guaranteed loan facility under Title XVII. On September 3, 2009, we and one of our subsidiaries, Solyndra Fab 2 LLC, entered into financing agreements with the Federal Financing Bank, a government corporation under the general supervision of the Secretary of the Treasury, and the DOE that provide for a $535 million loan to Solyndra Fab 2 LLC, which we refer to as the Fab 2 Borrower, that is guaranteed by the DOE. The estimated aggregate project costs of Phase I are approximately $733 million...."

So should taxpayers' count themselves lucky that Solyndra went bankrupt when it did - before the feds sank another $469 million into its solar power enterprise? Perhaps.

Solyndra's SEC filing - dry reading for sure - can be read in its entirety by clicking here.