Renewable energy might bring more jobs to area
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Industry and local leaders at the 11 TH Renewable Energy Summit said more jobs are coming to Imperial Valley, thanks to state mandated initiatives.
El Centro City Council Member Jason Jackson said, “Renewable energy is back on the forefront. Imperial County’s been seen as the renewable capital of California, and actually of the United States. We’ve got pretty much everything.”
El Centro City Council Member Efrain Silva said it’s an area rich in solar, wind and geothermal resources. And that means jobs.
“The state has a mandate that a higher percentage of the state’s energy is going to be delivered through renewable energy sources. That provides a lot of opportunities for enterprises to look at Imperial Valley for those energy sources, and of course, and ultimately that leads to employment,” Silva said.
Brawley City Council Member Sam Couchman said new jobs might be created in a variety of fields tied to renewable energy.
“There’s probably a lot more jobs created by the construction. And also there’s a lot of ancillary jobs for people that are subcontractors that provide different services, such as security, fencing,” Couchman said.
Calexico City Council Member Jesus Eduardo Escobar said all this means an economic boom for the area.
“You’re bringing in industrial manufacturing jobs that can create higher paying jobs, with benefits, with retirement funds for our citizens, for the members of the Imperial Valley community. The way of life from an economic standpoint will increase – increase retail sales, increase revenue for our cities and for our county,” Escobar said.
The summit is being held in Holtville, Wednesday thru Friday.
