Yesterday, I had the chance to speak at the Energy Summit put on by the Michigan Laborers District Council about the job opportunities in Michigan’s emerging clean energy economy.
While there is no question that this devastating recession has hit Michigan’s working families hard, there is solid evidence that our efforts to make Michigan a global center for clean energy production and innovation are starting to pay off.
Last year, the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth released the state’s first-ever Green Jobs Report, which showed that more than 100,000 of our state’s residents are already in working in Michigan’s Green Economy.
And just yesterday, Business Facilities Magazine ranked Michigan No. 3 in the country as an alternative energy leader, noting that “hardly a week goes by without a major piece of ‘green’ news from the Wolverine State.”
In a sign of the changing Michigan economy, Michigan is actually ranked higher as an alternative energy leader than our ranking for automotive manufacturing strength! Now there is no question that we need a stronger automotive sector for our state to get back on its feet and for Michigan’s working families to have more economic security (and there has recently been some good news on that front), but these examples underscore the fact that our efforts to diversify Michigan’s economy are working.
A recent report on wind manufacturing in America shows that manufacturing jobs in the wind industry have grown from 2,500 jobs in 2004 to 18,500 jobs in 2009 – and the American Wind Energy Association has labeled Michigan “a manufacturing powerhouse” in wind energy.
These studies are backed up by the conclusions from the Green Jobs Report. From 2005 to 2008, when the overall Michigan economy shrank by a rate of 5.4%, job creation in Michigan’s Green Economy actually increased by 7.7%, and job creation in the renewable energy sector grew by an incredible 30% during that time!
And that’s true here in Northwest Michigan as well. It was only a few years ago that MasTech Manufacturing in Manistee was facing an uncertain future. Now, as a result of a partnership with Windspire Energy, it’s a recognized leader in residential-scale wind installation. And the success of the MasTech/ Windspire partnership has helped bring laid-off workers at Ludington’s Whitehall Industries back to work. What’s more, MasTech attracted Amptech into the Manistee Industrial Park, helping to create a critical mass of local businesses working together on this project – and creating jobs for local workers in the process. And companies like Contractors Building Supply in Copemish have taken advantage of increased demand for these “Made in Michigan” clean energy devices to grow their business as well. Add to that the Consumers Energy wind project in Mason County and Duke Energy’s interest in Manistee and Benzie counties, and it’s clear that clean energy is already playing a major role in building Michigan’s economy of the future – and creating good-paying jobs for Michigan workers today!
We’re at a crossroads – a defining moment. Clean energy represents a bright spot in our troubled economy, and over the last two years we’ve made progress. But there is much, much more work to be done. We’ve got to get Michigan back to work, and I look forward to working with people across Northwest Michigan and across the state to make that happen.
