Rosy Solar Jobs Projections Fail To Live Up To the Hype

Mich Cap Con ^ | 2-8-12 | Tom Gantert

[Mikey_1962]

In the final days of Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s tenure, the state Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth trumpeted the success of green jobs created in the solar industry.

“Total job creation projected of 21,592” the April 12, 2010, DELEG presentation claimed.

Almost two years later, the large majority of those jobs never saw the light of day. Even if they had come to fruition, they would just be a small part of the entire Michigan economy, says James Hohman, assistant director of fiscal policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

For example, the state of Michigan created 218,137 jobs in the second quarter of 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced last week. If all 21,592 of those projected jobs created in the solar industry had actually been created, they would amount to 10 percent of the jobs created in just one quarter in Michigan. (During the same period 200,177 other jobs disappeared from Michigan - part of the constant "job churn" characteristic of a dynamic economy like that of the U.S.)

But those 21,592 solar green job projections included “indirect jobs,” which means those jobs that are created outside the actual company — such as assuming a coffee shop will open across the street from a new plant.

“The political economic development has never accounted for much,” Hohman said.

Clairvoyant (751 direct jobs), Evergreen Solar (596 direct jobs), GlobalWatt (500 direct jobs), Suniva (500 direct jobs), United Solar Evonics (700 direct jobs) all failed to produce the jobs the state projected.

For example, GlobalWatt was evicted from its Saginaw headquarters for nonpayment of rent. United Solar Evonics had paused construction of its Battle Creek project in 2009, according to its most recent annual SEC filing. Evergreen Solar filed for bankruptcy.

All these struggling solar companies were highlighted as success stories in 2010 under what DELEG called “Governor Granholm’s Leadership.”

[Mikey_1962]

Well she said we were going to be "blown away". Dried up and blown away maybe.

[The Great RJ]

Does anyone remember the 1970s when solar home heating was supposed to be the answer to our energy problems? I knew several local start up companies that were marketing heating systems using roof top solar collectors and bins of rocks or water in the basement to store the heat...guess what?... they all went bust. There was even a DIY craze to make solar collectors with everything from window screens to empty beer cans ...none of these worked either. Even Jimmy Carter got into the act and installed a solar collector on the roof of the White House...it was later removed because of leaks, but no doubt it didn’t really work either. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that solar energy of any kind doesn’t work at night or on cloudy days so even at best any solar system is only working part of the time.

[equaviator]

“For example, the state of Michigan created 218,137 jobs in the second quarter of 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced last week.”

How’d they do that??? Better yet, how did they make it look like that?

[N. Theknow]

Governor Granholm's Leadership.

[Bigh4u2]

“(During the same period 200,177 other jobs disappeared from Michigan - part of the constant “job churn” characteristic of a dynamic economy like that of the U.S.) “

Yeah.. I’d like to know how too..

So they ‘created’ 218,137 jobs, and ‘lost’ 200,177 jobs..

[nascarnation]

I noticed as soon as her term ended, Canada Jen bolted for the Berkeley campus.

[equaviator]

Speaking of having bolted or having been bolted...How does MSNBC hide the bolts in the Jenbot’s neck? I mean, she IS sort of cobbled together out of pieces of their agenda and now they’re running her little ‘program’ on cable TV.

[equaviator]

CORRECTION! How does Current TV hide the bolts in her neck? Current TV, MSNBC, CNN...ehhh, what’s the difference.

[cyclotic]

When my family left Michigan behind the moving van, we had big posters on the back of the car that read “Another Michigan Family BLOWN AWAY. Thanks Jenny”

Part of my job was as a supplier to United Solar. It was an innovative product but without Government kickbacks, nobody was buying. They have so much inventory, production has been halted in Michigan and Mexico for months.