Why Not Ohio? Colorado To Add Clean Energy Jobs

[irishbobcat]

Why Not Ohio? Colorado To Add Clean Energy Jobs

Northern Colorado's clean-energy sector is poised to add 1,650 new jobs over five years, according to a business advocacy group.

The Fort Collins-based Colorado Clean Energy Cluster said job growth is likely to occur from expansion of existing companies, attraction of new businesses and incubation of startups.

The projected employment increase would come on the heels of at least 6,500 clean-energy jobs created in Colorado since Gov. Bill Ritter began his "New Energy Economy" push in 2007.

While the industry is a small part of Colorado's workforce of 2.7 million, it has been a steady source of growth at the same time that the state has suffered a net loss of 86,000 jobs.

The Colorado Clean Energy Cluster is a new name for the former Northern Colorado Energy Cluster, reflecting the group's desire to replicate statewide the growth surge of renewable-energy and clean-tech firms along the northern Front Range.

"We're expanding our mission statewide, largely driven by business demand and interest in clean-energy industries," said Judy Dorsey, executive director of the group.

The cluster is composed of 15 businesses, universities and local governments in northern Colorado. Business members include Advanced Energy, Encorp, Ice Energy, Solix Biofuels, Spirae, Symbios Technologies, Telvent, Ward Alternative Energy and Woodward.

One of the group's initiatives is Fort ZED, a project to transform Fort Collins' downtown core into one of the nation's first zero-energy districts.

Another is the International Cleantech Network, with affiliate groups in Copenhagen, Oslo and the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.

The cluster's projections for 1,650 new jobs by 2015 include 250 from small-business incubation, 250 from attraction of new companies to Colorado and 1,150 from growth of existing businesses.

Part of the projected job growth will be fueled by suppliers and vendors for clean-energy manufacturers such as wind-turbine company Vestas and solar- power firms Abound and Ascent.