REPP 2001 Work and Renewable Energy

Specifically, this study estimates the total hours required to manufacture, install and service wind power and solar photovoltaics (PV). For biomass co-firing, this study estimates the hours needed to collect, transport and process biomass to fuel a portion of a power plant primarily fueled by coal. The study is based upon extensive surveys of firms with U.S. operations. The co-firing study also includes literature review since commercial operations are still few. Table ES-1. Labor Requirements for Renewable Energy Technologies Technology; Model Project Scale; Person-Years per MW Solar PV; 2-kW systems; 35.5 Wind; 37.5 MW; 4.8 Biomass Co-Firing; 100-750 MW; 3.8-21.8 Anticipated trends: More mechanization and standardization will reduce labor requirements for PV in production and installation; wind too. Difficult to predict trends for biomass, though greater yields in crops could cut labor requirements for cutting and harvesting. 6 Says distributed power generation not likely in near future, since current infrastructure is central station, but will expand as novelty of small-scale, nearby generation transitions to conventional wisdom. Wind is, on avg, cheapest source of renewable power and capacity is increasing. Geothermal supply the most non-hydroelectric renewable power in U.S. today – 8% of CA electricity. Biomass co-firing involves using 5-15% biomass in replacement of coal in coal-fired power plants. Trends in domestic renewable energy markets: State clean energy funds State Mandates for specified amount of renewable energy Environmental regulations – future may limit CO2 and mercury Energy technology and market trends – wind getting cost competitive in some areas (northwest) Renewables can’t compete on cost, but can on environmental values, and reliability insofar as generation is distributed International trends: PV: Japan and Germany Wind: Denmark, Germany, Spain Current capacity for solar, biomass, geothermal from U.S. EIA. Wind info from American Wind Energy Association. Used surveys to estimate labor used: This study estimates the following jobs for wind and PV: n Manufacturing of all finished parts to be incorporated in power plant n Delivery of goods to power plant n Construction/installation of power plant, including project management n O&M of power plant for 10 years For biomass co-firing, this analysis looks at the following over 10 years: n Cultivation and collection of biomass fuel n Delivery of biomass to power plant n Manufacturing of biomass feeder system in power plant n O&M of power plant for 10 years NOT an I-O model – does not estimate jobs resulting from multiplier effect or jobs from manufacturing basic inputs 11 Detailed descriptions of the types of labor needed for each renewable energy technology. Surveys: 10 firms for PV construction, installation, transport, service: 35.5 person/years per MW 19 firms for wind manufacture, transport, install, service: 4.8 person/years per MW Wind power labor requirements may INCREASE in short term, according to USDOE and EPRI, due partially to larger wind turbines. Says will decrease after 2005 due to more standardization, reduced O&M needs, Biomass: wood waste, energy crops. Doesn’t specify how many surveys/interviews done, but relies on previously published studies as well. Transport requirements for biomass: The general economic rule is that a trucker should not travel more than 50 to 75 miles from the biomass source to the power plant, or else the biomass will become unduly expensive for power generation. This analysis assumes that two truck drivers can deliver eight vans with 25 tons of biomass each in a 10-hour shift. 19 EPRI and U.S. DOE assume an 83% linear increase in yields from 1997 to 2020. This trend should reduce the labor requirements for biomass collection, though the extent of the reduction is unclear Why coal mining is becoming less labor intensive: When compared to wind, PV and certain biomass co-firing scenarios, coal appears to employ more workers for O&M and fuel operations. However, an important component of this labor—coal mining—has drastically become less labor intensive. Coal mining firms have steadily reduced labor needs by shifting from unionized, labor intensive operations in the East to surface mining operations in the West, particularly in Wyoming. In the East, firms are also engaging in mountaintop removal— a form of surface mining—rather than traditional underground mining. Unions can help by: Providing training and certification programs for installers Marketing – skilled technicians more likely to promote, e.g., PV. Also, union-made label. Page of assumptions used in cost comparisons on p. 25.