In Montana, it’s about to start blowing money.
This isn’t the kind of money that’s floating in the air and that you can just reach out and grab, however. No, it’s more like the kind you can’t see, but which will be deposited in your account each month.
Well, that’s the idea if you’re a big time wind energy producer, and as you can see, Montana is about to have a lot more of them:
This isn’t the kind of money that’s floating in the air and that you can just reach out and grab, however. No, it’s more like the kind you can’t see, but which will be deposited in your account each month.
Well, that’s the idea if you’re a big time wind energy producer, and as you can see, Montana is about to have a lot more of them:
Current and proposed wind projects in Montana, 2015-2020
Yeah, that’s a map of the current wind farms in Montana, and those that should be built by 2020 or soon after.
Most of the state is windy, as this map from the latest report by Renewable Northwest and Montanans for Good Jobs & Clean Air, which profiles 10 Years of Renewable Energy: The Economic Benefits for Montana (PDF).
I’ll be completely honest with you – I don’t know a whole lot about wind in Montana, or it’s potential. I’ve never been to the Judith Gap area, and I’ve never seen the huge windmills that they have there. They seem to be working, however, and they do create jobs…somewhat:
Most of the state is windy, as this map from the latest report by Renewable Northwest and Montanans for Good Jobs & Clean Air, which profiles 10 Years of Renewable Energy: The Economic Benefits for Montana (PDF).
I’ll be completely honest with you – I don’t know a whole lot about wind in Montana, or it’s potential. I’ve never been to the Judith Gap area, and I’ve never seen the huge windmills that they have there. They seem to be working, however, and they do create jobs…somewhat:
Right now we have about 80 ongoing positions for this industry, but by 2020 we should have close to 300, which is a 375% increase in employment for that industry.
And wow, those construction jobs sure went through the roof, though I’ll admit they’re temporary so maybe we don’t get that big a boost.
Hell, maybe none of these jobs are worth the investment required. Still, we need to fill that renewable gap, which the EPA has set for the state. Or did you not get the memo that says Montana needs to comply with carbon output by 2020? Oops!
- I’m not an economist, but that sounds pretty good to me.
- I’m not an energy analyst, but that’s a lot more than the 12 permanent jobs than Keystone promised us.
- I’m not an environmental nutcase, but this type of energy development doesn’t destroy our environment.
And wow, those construction jobs sure went through the roof, though I’ll admit they’re temporary so maybe we don’t get that big a boost.
Hell, maybe none of these jobs are worth the investment required. Still, we need to fill that renewable gap, which the EPA has set for the state. Or did you not get the memo that says Montana needs to comply with carbon output by 2020? Oops!
So it’s the temporary construction jobs (all construction jobs are temporary) that really pack a punch. The ongoing wind industry jobs, not so much. Still, that’s likely to change:
Historic and current employment of wind energy industry in Montana
Expected growth of wind energy industry employment in Montana to 2020
The bottom line is that Montana has a lot of energy potential, and as a taxpayer, I want to take advantage of that. I need to be diversified, and I need to be protected against risk. I can’t have that with all my eggs in one basket, as they are now:
Main sources of Montana energy, 2015 to 2020
Alright, Coal and Hydro aren’t all one basket, but they are the two sources we’ve relied on for decades. One of those sources is shaky due to the political environment, and hydro isn’t growing. We need new sources, and as you can see, wind is the main driver there.
We have a lot of other potential too, as you can see from these maps:
We have a lot of other potential too, as you can see from these maps:
Montana Solar energy potential
Montana Geothermal energy potential
Let’s start using the resources we have. We have an abundance, and they don’t all rely on Colstrip or other areas in eastern Montana.
Why not expand this potential, and the potential earning capacity of some of these counties and the citizens living there? We can do this, and we should stop dragging our feet.
In Montana, it’s about to start blowing money.
Why not expand this potential, and the potential earning capacity of some of these counties and the citizens living there? We can do this, and we should stop dragging our feet.
In Montana, it’s about to start blowing money.
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