Sierra Club study says energy efficiency investments could create jobs
December 19, 2012 ·
The Sierra Club released a new study today showing by investing in energy efficiency, West Virginia utilities could create more than 19,000 jobs in the state and save customers money.
Consulting firm Optimal
Energy released the study funded by the Sierra Club. It said if FirstEnergy and
American Electric Power would invest in energy efficiency, the companies could
create 19,500 jobs across the state and save their customers a total of $800
million by 2016.
Sierra Club
representatives say West Virginia lags the nation in energy efficiency
investments. In its 2012 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, the American
Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranked West Virginia 49th out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, based on its performance in implementing
energy efficiency of all types.
A group of West Virginia organizations, including the Sierra Club,
Energy Efficient West Virginia, and the West Virginia Citizen Action Group held
a press conference at the Capitol to announce the new report.
Gary Zuckett, executive director of the West Virginia Citizen Action
Group, said the analysis
shows that efficiency is good for both consumers by keeping utility bills down,
and for the economy by creating jobs that can’t be shipped overseas.