Virginia has long been coal country, but the solar power industry has been increasing its foothold in the Commonwealth over the last few years. And now, Michael Pope reports that a significant shift is taking place.
Virginia now has more jobs in the solar industry than the coal industry. Numbers from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy show a 40% drop in the number of people working in the coal industry over the last five years. Henry Childress with the Virginia Coal and Energy Alliance says coal produces more energy with fewer employees.
“Coal will produce more jobs I think in the long term. But we’ve had to cut back because everyone feels like it’s not worth it to use coal anymore. And I feel that there will be a time when we will have to turn back to coal to meet the demand.”
For now, though, the solar industry has more employees in Virginia than the coal industry. That’s a dramatic shift for a state that has a long history with coal.
Yeah I think that this Childress fellow is engaging in a little wishful thinking there.
These solar power jobs will only continue to increase while the coal jobs are eventually going to disappear forever as renewable energy becomes ever more affordable.
The fact is that the whole planet is going green, and even though Virginia may be dragging their coal blackened heels, they will inevitably have to face that reality.
Coal jobs were not lost due to EPA regs, automation did. you don't need 5000 men with jack hammers in a single mine when 20 men and equipment do the same amount of work today.
ReplyDeleteThe braggart-in-chief's claim that he saved so many coal jobs is as bogus as those he saved Carrier.
DeleteWanna know when Trump is lying? His ass cheeks move.
DeleteOT?"“leadership vaC
ReplyDeletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/help-wanted-why-republicans-wont-work-for-the-trump-administration/2017/06/17/61e3d33e-506a-11e7-b064-828ba60fbb98_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trumphiring818pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.ae8cd4141705
"Multiple Russian patents for the names of Trump hotels and other branded products that were applied for in the 90’s and early 2000’s and set for expiration were, according to the Times, granted renewal between April and December 2016. "
ReplyDelete"ere is nothing to suggest from the few public records available that Mr. Trump was shown favoritism. Still, extensions are not guaranteed and can be subject to challenge — particularly if, as in this case, the trademarks went unused for years, according to interviews with a half-dozen lawyers specializing in intellectual property law.”"
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/06/revealed-russia-abruptly-approved-long-dormant-trump-patents-on-election-day/
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/06/trump-boasts-he-is-more-popular-than-obama-despite-distraction-of-witch-hunt-in-early-morning-tweetstorm/
"The new Rasmussen Poll, one of the most accurate in the 2016 Election, just out with a Trump 50% Approval Rating.That's higher than O's #'s!"
tiny djt
For every green jobs that appears it will be a slap in the face for Agent Orange. Wanna bet he tries to stifle the green movement?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Wasilla Wendingo, the sooner that we destroy the planet that her "god" created, the faster Jesus cones back. Wrap your head around that one for stupidity.
DeleteYep. He is the King of Petty.
DeleteJust wait and see. Any day now whale oil will be back in demand and all those whaling jobs will be back.
ReplyDeleteBUY PATAGONIA
ReplyDeleteCoal power plants ar beign torn down. Railroads to deliver it are long gone. Great Lakes shippping also down. No one is retrofitting to use coal.
ReplyDeleteTh freaking coal mining museum in WV sues solar energy....that says it all.
DeleteWe didn't move on out of the Stone Age because we ran out of stones...
ReplyDeleteKees van der Leun @Sustainable2050 reports on European green energy (and other climate news). There are days when some European countries are more than 50% powered by wind and solar. What's America's problem?
ReplyDeleteJohn Oliver did a great segment last night on coal. I think Trump "likes" coal miners so much because the owners are so much like him. Coal miners have been exploited by mine owners since the first lump of coal was discovered - way back when.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans' new found love of coal miners certainly was missing during the many, many years that miners and Democrats fought to have the federal government provide help while they fought black lung and died. I wonder if having "black lung" is on the list of pre-existing conditions GOP senators are hiding from us in their anti-health care bill.
Beaglemom