Green Jobs?

Recently, we heard President Obama recommit to creating green jobs in our country after we all watched in horror as China surpassed us as the world leader in green technology. Meanwhile, there's a program already at work in 15 states that is creating green jobs and reducing the cost of living for homeowners in the process.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a state law that allows local governments to help homeowners finance upgrading their homes' energy efficiency and add solar hot water, solar electric, wind turbines or whatever green energy is appropriate. The beauty of the program is that it makes green technology affordable, and within reach of average middle-class homeowners.

How it works is that a homeowner decided they wish to upgrade their home to solar hot water. They "opt-in" to the PACE program through the local government. The cost of the retrofit and solar installation is financed through a mortgage company tied to their property taxes. What that means is that you don't have to put any money down on the system (in most cases), and it is paid for through your property tax bill over the next 20 years. If you sell your house, the system, and the cost, goes with the house.

You receive an immediate benefit on your utility bill. The savings on your utility bills is far greater than the amortized cost of repaying the loan through your property taxes. An average solar hot water system costs about $5,000 installed after rebates and incentives. Spread that out over 20 years and you notice a rise of $250-$300 in your property tax payment compared to the dramatic savings on your electric bill (18 percent and more in most cases.)

This makes pricey solar panels within the reach of average homeowners and protects mortgage lenders because the payment is secured through the municipality. It lowers your cost of living, and raises your property values, reduces your carbon footprint and creates jobs and economic impact in your community.

PACE programs are planned or already underway in Albuquerque, N.M.; Athens, Ohio; Austin, Texas; Babylon, N.Y.; Berkeley, Calif. (which pioneered the concept); Boulder, Colo.; Palm Desert, Calif.; San Diego; San Francisco; and Santa Fe, N.M.; and at the state level in California, Connecticut, Maryland, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin. New York recently passed PACE, as well.

Under the State Energy Program, the Department of Energy has received approximately $80 million of applications from municipalities that could potentially use a PACE financing structure, out of $3.2 billion in total funding. The Department of Energy is also issuing a Funding Opportunity Announcement of $454 million under its Competitive Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. This "Retrofit Ramp-Up" program will pioneer innovative models, including PACE loans, for rolling out energy efficiency to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in a variety of communities according to the Department of Energy.

What is your municipal government doing about it? Many of local elected officials run on a platform of lowering taxes. While that has been proven difficult at best, what they could do is lower your cost of living instead for the same effect.

Additionally, if only 15 percent of residential property owners nationwide took advantage of clean energy community financing, the resulting emissions reductions would contribute 4 percent of the savings needed for the U.S. to reach 1990 emissions levels by 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

This one program could do more to generate green jobs in your area than anything else coming down the federal pike. Imagine the resulting boom this legislation would have in the building trades. We would immediately see a rise in jobs for energy auditors, insulators, plumbers, solar installers and many other local green jobs that our unemployed could do with a little training.

Shawn Dell Joyce is an award-winning columnist and founder of the Wallkill River School in Orange County, N.Y. You can contact her at Shawn@ShawnDellJoyce.com.