CLEAN ENERGY JOBS IN FLORIDA
Clean energy already provides tens of thousands of Florida workers with good jobs during hard times. This fact sheet collects several sources of information showing how accelerating the clean-energy transition will benefit Florida’s economy – and, conversely, the costs and consequences of failing to act.
CLEAN ENERGY JOBS
Less Carbon, More Jobs: This map1 tells the story of existing companies across Florida that will get new customers and create jobs with a cap on carbon.2
Less Carbon, More Jobs: This map locates some of the thousands of clean energy businesses in Florida.
The Clean Energy Economy: The clean energy industry in Florida is already growing (job growth of 7.9%). By 2007, 3,831 businesses had generated more than 31,122 Florida jobs in the clean energy economy, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. Venture capitalists are investing nearly $117 million in Florida’s clean energy businesses.3
Clean Businesses (2007) 3,831 Clean Jobs (2007) 31,122 Clean Job Growth (1998-2007) 7.9% Venture Capital (2006-2008) $116,980,000
Florida
The Future of the Clean Energy Economy: University of Massachusetts researchers conclude that the American Clean Energy and Security Act, coupled with the clean energy provisions passed in the ARRA stimulus package that Congress passed in February 2009, will drive $150 billion of investment in clean energy nationwide. This investment will create more than 94,000 jobs for Floridians.4
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS
Economists at the University of California reported in June 2009 that the costs of a carbon cap will be “very modest or even negligible” for Florida. Florida’s economy is predicted to grow from $809 billion today to about $1.5 trillion by January 2025. The study finds that under a carbon cap, Florida would reach that same level of growth by the end of February 2025. Both the Department of Energy and McKinsey and Company have identified significant, untapped opportunities for key industries in Florida to prosper under a clean energy economy. • • • Metal manufacturing companies can save $17.5 million.5 The chemical sector6 and the cement industry7 can save money by capturing waste heat, swapping out inefficient motors, and switching fuel sources. The Department of Energy has identified 4,481 ways for small- and medium-sized industrial plants in Florida to earn savings from efficiency, with an average payback of only 1.4 years. Only 41% of these opportunities have been implemented.8 Additional information on Florida clean energy jobs is available from the National Wildlife Federation.9
•
Researchers from the University of Florida find that Florida has more opportunities for carbon credits and biofuels than other regions of the US.10 With a clean energy economy, the annual values of Florida’s carbon credits will be: • Biofuels, energy crops and biomass—$147.2 million • Biogas produced from livestock wastes—$19.2 million • Increased management intensity on pine plantations—$116.8 million • Conservation tillage on half of cropped lands—$34.4 million • Afforestation of 5% of Florida range and pasture lands—$22.8 million The annual values of Florida’s clean energy fuel sources will be: • Biogas as replacement for fossil natural gas—$62.7 million • Sale of crop and logging residues as fuel—$48 million • Reduced fuel costs from conservation tillage—$14 million Combined, credits and fuel sources will generate $465 million for Florida under a clean energy economy.
COSTS OF INACTION
According to a June 2009 report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, inaction on global warming will cause significant harm to Florida. Sea level will rise on Florida’s coast by one to two feet, and hurricanes will increase in peak wind speeds, rainfall intensity, and storm surge levels. By the end of the century, North Florida will have more than 165 days (nearly six months) per year over 90˚F, up from roughly 60 days in the 1960s and 1970s.11 Tufts University has concluded that these effects have heavy economic consequences for Florida.12 • • • Sea level rise will inundate 99.6% of Monroe County, 70% of Miami-Dade County, and 10 to 22% of 14 other counties. This will flood residential real estate worth over $130 billion. Florida’s tourism industry will lose $9 billion by 2025 and $167 billion by the end of the century. Sea level rise will destroy key parts of Florida’s infrastructure, including two nuclear power plants, three prisons, 68 hospitals, 74 airports, 334 public schools, and nearly 20,000 historic structures. As temperature rises, the increased demand for electricity will have to be met with costs of $5 billion annually by 2050. Transmission lines will also operate less efficiently, costing an extra $3 billion per year by the end of the century. Impacts on just three sectors – tourism, electric utilities, and real estate – together with effects of hurricanes would shrink Florida’s Gross State Product by 5% ($345 billion) by the end of this century.
•
•
Other researchers have documented more economic devastation from global warming: • Hurricanes of 2004 and 2005 caused more than $35 billion in insured losses in Florida.13 • Homeowner insurance premiums in Florida have risen more than any other state, with the average price increasing by 77% between 2001 and 2006. Allstate, State Farm, and Nationwide Mutual are all stopping or severely restricting their Florida homeowners’ insurance, placing an increasing burden on the state-run homeowners’ insurance program.14 • From scuba diving in the Keys to charter fishing boats in Miami-Dade to commercial fishing in Martin County, reef-related industries provide $5.5 billion and more than 70,000 jobs for Floridians. The jobs are all threatened by disappearing reefs.15
• •
The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that global warming will hurt the health of Florida’s citizens, as well as its transportation infrastructure.16 The National Wildlife Federation shows how global warming will damage the 120,612 jobs provided by Florida’s $7.9 billion hunting, wildlife-watching, and angling industries.17
START THE CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY NOW
A nationwide cap on greenhouse gas emissions would jumpstart a new energy economy in Florida and accelerate the growth of good-paying, clean jobs. If we fail to act soon, the new markets for clean energy will grow overseas instead. Florida can’t afford to miss out on one of the largest new economic revolutions. www.edf.org/CleanEnergyJobs
Less Carbon, More Jobs: Mapping the Green Economy: Florida. Environmental Defense Fund. http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=34065&state=fl 2 Less Carbon, More Jobs: Why a Cap on Carbon? Environmental Defense Fund. http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=36571 3 Susan Urahn, Joshua Reichert, et. al.: The Clean Energy Economy: Executive Summary. June 2009. The Pew Charitable Trusts. p. 8. http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/Clean_Economy_Report_Web.pdf 4 Robert Pollin, James Heintz, and Heidi Garrett-Peltier: The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy. Department of Economics and Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts, Amherst. June 2009. 5 Environmental Defense Fund: Mitigating industry costs and improving competitiveness with a carbon cap: Profile on Metal Manufacturing. Citing the Department of Energy c/o Oak Ridge National Lab: Save Energy Now Program. 2009. http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=38444&taggedWith=38345 6 Environmental Defense Fund: Mitigating industry costs and improving competitiveness with a carbon cap: Profile on Chemicals. Citing McKinsey and Company: Global GHG Abatement Cost Curve for the Chemicals Sector, Version 2.0, Societal Perspective, 2030 Timeframe. 2009. http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=38444&taggedWith=38345 7 Environmental Defense Fund: Mitigating industry costs and improving competitiveness with a carbon cap: Profile on Cement. Citing McKinsey and Company: Global GHG Abatement Cost Curve for the Cement Sector, Version 2.0, Societal Perspective, 2030 Timeframe. 2009. http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=38444&taggedWith=38345 8 Industrial Technologies Program - Industrial Assessment Centers Database. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. http://www.iac.rutgers.edu/database/state.php 9 National Wildlife Federation: “Charting a New Path for Florida’s Electricity Generation and Use.” http://www.nwf.org/globalwarming/statefactsheets.cfm 10 Stephen Mulkey et. al. Opportunities for Greenhouse Gas Reduction through Forestry and Agriculture in Florida. April 2008. University of Florida. http://snre.ufl.edu/research/greenhouse.htm 11 Unified Synthesis Product: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. Report by the US Climate Change Science Program. http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/usp/default.php 12 Tufts University’s Global Development and Environment Institute: Florida and Climate Change: The Costs of Inaction. 2007. http://www.cier.umd.edu/climateadaptation/ 13 Blown Away: How Global Warming is Eroding the Availability of Insurance Coverage in America’s Coastal States. Environmental Defense Fund. 2007. http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=14044 14 Ibid. 15 Wanless et. al. Corals and Climate Change: Florida's Natural Treasures at Risk. Environmental Defense Fund. November 2008. http://www.edf.org/pressrelease.cfm?contentID=8867 16 Union of Concerned Scientists: Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region: Impacts on Florida Communities and Ecosystems. 2003. http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/acfweqhoh.pdf 17 National Wildlife Federation: Global Warming and Florida. 2009. http://www.nwf.org/globalwarming/pdfs/Florida.pdf
1
06.20.