Guest Column: Lessons Learned — Embracing the Clean Energy Economy

By Sen. Benjamin B. DowningGuest Column
09:38AM / Tuesday, November 29, 2011Print Story | Email Story

Sen. Benjamin B. Downing

With a state unemployment rate hovering around 7 percent and the long-term specter of climate change it is easy to understand why many public officials, myself included, tout the potential for green jobs.

Training our work force to perform as solar installers, home weatherizers, etc., helps put people to work while getting us on the path to an energy-efficient clean energy economy.

Recently, high-profile missteps on the state and national level – Evergreen Solar in Massachusetts and Solyndra in California – have lead some to doubt the strategy of investment in energy efficiency and clean energy. These are the wrong lessons to take from these two cases, but there are lessons to learn.

First, as a matter of economic development policy, we should put in place stronger clawback provisions when public dollars are used as incentives to support any business, green or otherwise. In the case of Evergreen, Massachusetts has only been able to recoup a small portion of the investment. If businesses want an incentive from the state, then they must be willing to accept the risk that they will have to repay taxpayers if they do not meet certain goals. This should go for every company that seeks federal, state or local incentives, no matter the sector.

The second lesson is a more positive one: when strong policy is in place and consistent investment is made, clean energy and energy efficiency can be a key component of job growth and economic recovery.

Consider this: In 2006, Massachusetts hosted 2 megawatts of solar capacity and 30 solar-energy related companies operated in the commonwealth. Today, 61 megawatts of solar generation is in place, and there are more than 200 companies in Massachusetts' solar industry, employing upwards of 2,300 people.

National firms like Sunrun, Astrum Solar, and Borrego Solar have all opened offices in Massachusetts in recent years, investing and bringing jobs. Local firms have also benefitted. Nexamp of Andover, founded in 2007 with 10 employees has grown to 70, working on all aspects of renewable energy development. Next Step Living of South Boston has grown from three employees in 2008 to 180 in 2011, helping them expand their mission of making energy efficiency improvements in homes as easy as possible. From an industry wide perspective, the clean-energy sector added 4,036 jobs in Massachusetts between July 2010 and July 2011. That was a 6.7 percent growth rate, with more than a third of all firms growing, compared to only 13 percent cutting work force, in what can best be described as a difficult economy.

None of this happened by accident. Massachusetts, thanks to the leadership of the Patrick administration and actions of the Legislature, made a commitment to policies promoting investment in clean energy and energy efficiency. Through our membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, as well as enactment of the Green Communities Act, the Global Warming Solutions Act, Green Jobs Act, Ocean Management Act, and other steps, Massachusetts has created a stable policy environment, allowing clean energy and energy efficiency firms to thrive and flourish. Yes, Evergreen Solar is a glaring and frustrating failure, but it should not obscure countless other success stories currently putting people to work.

Finally, an important lesson from the Evergreen and Solyndra cases is that the competition to capture the benefits of the clean energy economy is global. Both Evergreen and Solyndra cited competition from China as a driver in their failures. From this some extrapolate that the United States should stop competing for these types of jobs. This response is short-sighted, defeatist, and wrong. We should vie for every one of these jobs, but we must do so nimbly and efficiently.

No program or incentive will work as well as it should if fossil fuels continue to be heavily subsidized without a cost placed on their environmental impacts. A stable national clean energy and energy efficiency policy is needed to change the incentives for how we use and conserve energy. Without such a policy, as envisioned by the American Clean Energy and Security Act passed by the U.S. House in 2009, any efforts to transition from reliance on dirty fossil fuels to clean energy and energy efficiency will be plagued by more failures.

Massachusetts' transition to a clean energy and energy efficiency economy can create jobs and lead our economic recovery. The lessons from Evergreen Solar and Solyndra are that there are still obstacles in making that transition: capturing the economic development benefits in a way that protects taxpayers; global competition; and, our current national energy policy. Overcoming these obstacles will not be easy, but it is imperative if we want to tackle the immediate challenges of creating jobs and ending our reliance on fossil fuels as well as the long term challenge of addressing and preventing climate change.

State Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, is in his third term representing the 48 Western Massachusetts communities of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin District. He serves as the Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

Tags: clean energy,

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"A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation." A very good article Senator Downing. Clean energy and energy efficiency truly have the proven ability to create jobs, reduce the costs and liabilities we face from fossil fuels, and avert climate change. While the transition to clean energy won't always be smooth we must ensure policy responds appropriately to some of the most pressing challenges of our time as you eloquently outline. Massachusetts is lucky to have your forethought and leadership. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/09/fossil-fuel-infrastructure-climate-change?newsfeed=true
from: Massachusetts Voter	on: 11-29-2011 10:15AM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (10)

All good talking points and I agree with the over-arching theme of the post. However there is a difference between green energy and sustainable energy. As we have learned from the ethanol debacle, any future energy sources must meet the EROEI (Energy Return On Energy Invested) measure as well as avoiding the trap of creating new energy sources that rely on finite source components. Uranium, copper, silver, platinum, rare earth metals, etc all have not only a limit to what is in the earth, but more importantly a smaller limit of what is accessible – try building a solar panel without some of these elements – and in 20 years what do you do with solar panel that contains toxic components? Replacing an incandescent light bulb with a CFL or LED reduces the amount of energy used to light a given space but at the cost of increasing the amount of mercury and heavy metals to our waste stream. Ultimately all sources of energy on earth are from the sun (past, present, and future). We are currently withdrawing from our solar savings account (coal, oil, natural gas) faster than it can be replaced. Sure the energy companies say we have a 100 year supply of natural gas and a 250 year supply of coal (which took millions of years of create), but the question needs to be asked – at what rate of consumption? If we increase the consumption rate of natural gas, coal, and precious metals to fill the void of dwindling petroleum, those supply predictions are null and void. There is no doubt that future populations will have to learn to live with less. The question is, can the current population change enough to create a manageable transition to new sustainable energy sources for our next generations where the by-products can be consumed by the earth in a healthy manner? Let's make sure the lessons we are learning are appropriate for future generations as well.
from: Huh	on: 11-29-2011 10:57AM I Agree (10) - I Disagree (0)

Three cheers for an article that sets the long-term alongside the short-term and shows the glass is more than half full.
from: Dan d'Heilly	on: 11-29-2011 05:47PM I Agree (2) - I Disagree (6)

This is same guy who proposed "TIPS" bill that would have took money away from hard working people. See Berkshire Record for Details, there have been 3 stories on it. The rest of the media is ignoring this.
from: Steve	on: 11-30-2011 12:29AM I Agree (2) - I Disagree (0)

Renewable Energy – Buy American or Take Advantage of Economic Opportunities - http://goo.gl/fdl3H. Much has been made of late in the renewable energy sector towards buying products ‘Made in America’. The problem is however, American manufactured renewable energy products are just too costly. China’s on the other hand are not, and regardless of their economic and currency business methods the real question is: Do Americans really want renewable energy ie; solar and wind, etc., or not? The lack of American manufacturing has plenty of blame to go around. And currently from a business sense only, it simply makes sense to outsource the work. Therefore, it’s probably the case that certain manufacturing type jobs are gone forever. So then, where are American solar and wind contractors to get their material to grow the market here i...n the U.S. I think it’s time we face the fact that China is the real deal. No matter how much greater we may think we are in comparison, the truth is they have reigned supreme in the renewable energy marketplace. We can try and fight it all we want but, when given the choice to buy solar panels from American manufacturers generally upwards of $1.50 cpw or from China with prices around $1.10 this should be a ‘no brainer’. The trick is finding Chinese manufacturers that provide quality products meeting American standards. This can require a lot of research or, you could find a broker that deals strictly with this type of research and transaction. For example, Alibaba.com offers such a service general except, you must do all the work (research) and assume the responsibility and all the liability that comes with it. However on the other hand, http://reepedia.com Products division does all of this for you. Contractors can simply state what they need, review the information returned, place an order, and receive the highest quality panels meeting all required certifications for their job. If contractors were able to purchase panels at a minimum 25% discount to American or elsewhere manufacturers, this savings would effectively be passed along to individual consumers, thus making it more affordable. While this purchasing strategy would no doubt hurt the American solar manufacturers, it would also spur the much needed growth in the industry. In turn, energy costs would decrease, thus keeping more money into businesses and households for additional consumption spending, which is something the U.S. economy desperately needs. For solar and wind to succeed and ultimately excel, Americans need to come to the realization that when it comes to solar, the U.S. made a conscious decision back in the late seventies and early eighties to give our solar technology info over to the Chinese. We can’t really expect for China to give it back to us either, since undoubtedly we can’t compete with their manufacturing costs (however they do it…?) and therefore, assisted them the ability to create a major piece to their economic engine. All one needs to do is to take a look at the amount of U.S. solar technology manufacturer bankruptcies over the past few years while however, a continuous expansion and already massive growth of Solar installations around the world is occurring. Americans should decide to ‘get off the fence’ (ouch – it usually hurts when sitting on spikes…) and either go as the rest of the industrializing world or not; Renewable Energy or Not?….
from: REepedia.com	on: 12-01-2011 10:33PM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (2)

Reopedia, I realize you a shill for the industry but still I do agree the Reagan Administration condemned the current, next, and probably the generation after that to a society based on fossil fuels. However giving up and just buying Chinese products is not the answer, there are two major flaws in your argument. First, that contractors will pass any savings onto the consumer – in this tight economy it’s highly doubtful. Second, that transportation costs for goods delivered from China to the US will remain constant. The cargo tankers do not run on solar or wind, they run on petroleum and will suffer the same shortages and price increases as everyone else. The undercurrent of your logic is the same as that which has put this country in the position it is in – choosing short-term gain over long term stability. Don’t be fooled – buy American for the long term good of you and the country.
from: Huh	on: 12-02-2011 11:10AM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (0)

Texas-Style Barbecue Opens for Lunch, Takeout in Downtown Pittsfield

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
12:16PM / Tuesday, October 06, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — FireKing BBQ is making it easier to find its smoked ribs — they're in the Clocktower Building in downtown Pittsfield.

Owner Ethan Sumner has been operating as a catering service for more than a decade, with a mobile smoker for his award-winning barbecue.

"We specialize in low and slow cooking as well as grilling over charcoal and hardwoods," he said. "We love using cherry wood, apple wood, and a little kiss of hickory wood in all of our cooking. Most of our cooking, I should say. And we don't use any propane. I'm a purist in that sense. I love cooking over open flame and hot coals."

He works alongside Robear Robespierre, who helps with Sumner's sales and distribution.

Sumner said he spends hours cooking his meat, like his baby back ribs that won him first place in the 2019 Grillsdale competition in New York State. It takes him about six hours, two of them smoking at 250 degrees, to cook the ribs.

He said he wanted a space to be able to keep up with demand. Business dropped off every winter because people think of barbecue as outdoor food, and while he will cook outside even in negative temperatures, an indoor space lets him serve year-round, including football season and the Super Bowl.

He is now located at 75 South Church St. and he is no stranger to the building. Sumner had run the publication Berkshire's Best: Buys, Business, and Beyond out of the building so he knew its possibilities.

"It's funny how I've come full circle here back into the building. So I've always kind of seen this space. But I was never into culinary then. I was into publishing. So this is 13 years in the making, and I had my paper for 13 years, which again, is coincidental," he said. "So I just really like this space. It's modern. It's nice. It's clean, and that's how my food is. It's clean. It's fresh, and it's local, just like me."

Sumner is originally from New York City and made his way to Great Barrington with his family. One of the inspirations behind his business was his father, who loved to grill outside.

"Even when we lived in New York City, he would go on the terrace of our 36-story apartment building on the third floor there was a terrace, and he would always cook on a Weber charcoal grill with charcoal, and I always was fascinated by that. And he always loved cooking outside, and he loved cooking over charcoal. And he would always make this mustard and tea leaf steak," he said. "That was a standout. It was a family favorite of ours and I could always taste the difference between something that was cooked [with charcoal]. Even when I was 7 years old I could, I always craved that certain taste that you could only get from charcoal."

He wants customers to know he cares about his food and its quality, making sure he gets the best ingredients for his dishes.

"I want them to know that. I'm a barbecue guy, but I also offer so much more. I consider myself somebody who loves cooking over open flame, smoking meats, but I also love using fresh ingredients to create deli sandwiches and fresh salads," Sumner said. "So I want people to associate FireKing with quality. I also want to point out that I get a lot of my meat from Mazzeo's meat market. So I don't sacrifice quality, which I think is half the battle in doing what I do is getting quality meats and produce."

He hopes customer will find the eatery a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy their lunch and hangout, or grab a sandwich and go.

"They could grab a pulled pork sandwich in about a minute and a half flat and be out of here if they want to. So there's no pressure," he said. "I love the community. I love talking to people here. Everyone in this community has been super kind and gracious, and I appreciate them. And I want to give back what they've given me."

He also plans to have DoorDash and barbecue pickup packages for families, and to have vacuum-sealed, pre-cooked smoked ribs with reheating instructions, also available for local pickup.

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