Solar
New Polling Shows Strong Support for Wisconsin Workers to Build State’s Renewable Energy Infrastructure
New Research conducted by Public Policy Polling finds strong support for building Wisconsin’s renewable energy infrastructure, and that Wisconsinites expect the construction jobs it will require to go to their neighbors.
Wisconsin is expected to have 19 utility-scale solar projects totaling 2.5 GW of electrical generation come online in the next few years. These projects will replace traditional, fossil fuel, electric generation facilities that are to be retired.
Construction of these solar projects could have substantial, positive economic impacts in the local economies where they are built. The impact, however, will depend largely on whether the projects are constructed using local contractors and workers.
A study recently released by Forward Analytics, Capturing the Sun – The Economic Benefits of Using Local Workers on Wisconsin Solar Projects, concluded that a single 150 MW solar project is projected to spur $11.8M in local economic activity if local workers are used. That impact is projected to be as little as $4.6M if out-of-state workers are used as those workers spend most of their wages in their home state.
The study estimated that the total economic impact of the 19 utility-scale solar projects planned for Wisconsin would be $195M if local workers are used. In contrast, if out-of-state workers are used, the economic benefit to Wisconsin drops by up to 62%.
It is Wisconsin residents that will pay for the cost of these solar projects through their utility rates. It should be Wisconsin workers and contractors that build the projects and local economies that benefit from the construction of the projects.
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Click here for Forward Analytics’ study, “Capturing the Sun – The Economic Benefits of Using Local Workers on Wisconsin Solar Projects.”
Click here for a summary of Forward Analytics’ study.
Click here for WIIN’s press release on Forward Analytics’ study.