The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) says a recently completed expansion of a Washington wind farm is a good example of how apprenticeship programs can help develop a skilled workforce for green-energy jobs.
Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE) expansion project, at the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility near Ellensburg, was completed using registered apprentices for at least 15 percent of the work. As such, it met the apprentice utilization requirements of Initiative 937, passed in 2006 to encourage the use and expansion of renewable energy and the training of Washington’s workforce in green jobs.
“Washington is a leader in training the next generation of skilled workers in the growing field of renewable energy,” said Melinda Nichols, manager of L&I’s apprenticeship program, which oversees training standards of registered apprenticeship. “During these tough economic times when many people are out of work, Washington was able to put 25 registered apprentices to work building skills for their future and the future of our state.”
Along those lines, Greenopia, a directory of eco-friendly retailers, services, and organizations, has ranked Washington the greenest state in the nation, thanks in large part to our vast number of LEED-certified buildings.
Their statement reads:
Washington has better than average air and water quality according to data from the EPA and American Lung Association. Washington has a very good recycling rate at around 45%, and its state government has been very progressive in adopting environmental initiatives. Washington has a large number of green businesses and LEED buildings (ones that are both registered and certified), even when you scale them to its population. It is also one of the greener states in terms of its per capita emissions, energy consumption, and water consumption. Lastly, Washington is one of the top states in renewable energy sourcing.
Greenopia's one concern for our state is our heavy dependence on hydroelectric energy, and they'd like to see us diversify our renewable energy portfolio. But maybe the aforementioned Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility will make us even more Number Onerer.
