Here’s the latest and greatest news from the green job world:

• 58% of Americans are optimistic about solar job market: Applied Materials is celebrating the solstice with the release of its annual solar energy survey, which examines consumer awareness about the solar industry in the United States, China, India and Japan. One of the questions asked in the survey was “How do you think the growth of the solar market will impact the job market?” Overall, 46 percent of respondents felt that growth in the solar market would have a positive impact on the broader job market through job creation.
• Clean Energy Jobs Find Fertile Ground In Maryland: Almost half of the 179 green businesses polled in the 2012 Maryland Clean Energy Industry Survey expect to employ more workers in 2012 compared to 2011, and nearly 13 percent already employ more than 100 workers.
• 350-MW Solar Farm Backed On Nevada Reservation: The Obama administration’s push for big renewable energy projects is making its way into Indian Country. The Department of the Interior on Thursday approved a 350-megawatt solar project sought by the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians in Clark County, Nevada. It’s the 31st utility-scale renewable energy project approved by the department – there had been none before the Obama administration – but the first ever on Indian land.
• The real prize for GM’s EcoCar2 challenge? A job offer: In EcoCar2 Challenge, General Motors will give away approximately $100,000 in prizes to the students participating in the alternative fuels vehicle competition. But for some students, the real prize will be a steady paycheck. Headliners GM and the Department of Energy, along with 25 suppliers, sponsor EcoCar2, a three-year alternative fuels vehicle competition, as a way to encourage college students to enter the automotive industry.
• Policy for energy-efficient buildings promises big economic boost: On Wednesday — the same day that the Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s health care law — the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee heard testimony on new developments for financing building energy efficiency developments that do not depend on ongoing federal involvement. With the court decision as news competition, it would have been easy to not have heard about the hearing. Though it was a narrow glimpse into a large, dynamic and growing industry, this was important and merits attention.<

This entry was posted on Monday, July 2nd, 2012 at 11:53 am and is filed under Solar energy, Wind energy, Green job opportunities, Finding green jobs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.