Recent economic analysis by leading U.S. academic institutions finds that comprehensive, forward-looking federal climate and energy policy could create up to 78,000 jobs in Pennsylvania, increase household incomes by $1,092 and grow the state economy by $4.3 billion.[1]

  • Aggressive policy implementation results in greater economic and job growth in Pennsylvania than moderate or no implementation of climate/energy policy.
  • Even moderate implementation would benefit Pennsylvania generating $2.4 billion Gross State Product and $637 per household.
  • States that currently rely most heavily on carbon-based sources of energy nevertheless stand to benefit most from new policies because of untapped energy efficiency potential.
  • Several U.S. government agencies have gotten similar results with their projections.

Clean energy jobs and investment could boom in Pennsylvania.

  • 2,934 clean energy businesses in Pennsylvania generated more than 38,763 jobs, as of 2007.[2]
  • Between 2006 and 2008, venture capitalists poured $232.897 million into clean technology businesses in Pennsylvania.[3]
  • From 1998-2007, clean technology jobs nationwide grew by 9.1%, while total jobs grew by only 3.7%.[4] Despite the financial crisis, experts predict jobs in the clean technology sector will be better protected than U.S. jobs overall.

On a national level, clean technology is the fastest-growing sector of venture capital investment. $4.12 billion was invested in clean technology in 2008, up 54% over 2007.[5]

1 Clean Energy and Climate Policy for U.S. Growth and Job Creation: An Economic Assessment of the American Clean Energy and Security Act and the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, October 2009.  http://are.berkeley.edu/~dwrh/CERES_Web/Docs/ES_DRHFK091025.pdf

2 The Clean Energy Economy, 2009.  Analysis conducted by Collaborative Economics for the Pew Center on the States.  http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/Clean_Economy_Report_Web.pdf

3 Ibid

4 Ibid

5 “Cleantech drives through stormy 2008,” February 2009, PricewaterhouseCoopers. http://www.pwc.com/en_US/us/point-of-view/assets/pwc_pointofview_cleantech_insert.pdf

Pennsylvania businesses have led the way throughout our nation's history. Pennsylvanians launched the railroads that first connected our country for commerce, powered the industrial revolution, and forged the steel that built our cities. It's time for Pennsylvania businesses to again lead the way to new jobs through a clean energy future.