More On Jerry Brown's Plan For Green Economy

Here are the highlights of would-be governor Jerry Brown's new jobs plan, released Sunday on his Web site.

He said investments in clean energy produce two to three times as many jobs as gas, oil or coal, and predicts continued growth in the industry.

He wants 20,000 new megawatts of renewable electricity by 2020, and to accelerate development of energy storage capacity.

Here are specifics:

• 12,000 megawatts of localized energy close to where energy is consumed that can be built without new transmission lines and without environmental impact;


• Solar systems of up to 2 megawatts on roofs of warehouses, parking garages, schools and commercial buildings;


• Solar projects up to 20 megawatts on public and private property;


• Implementation of a system of renewable power payments for generation projects up to 20 megawatts in size.


• Construct 8,000 megawatts of large-scale renewables and required transmission lines - the catalyst being a requirement that 33% of the state's electricity be derived from renewable sources. This would create a market and drive investment.


• One integrated environmental review by federal and state agencies, and expedited permitting.


• Encourage development of energy storage projects, creating jobs and more reliable energy;


• New efficiency standards for new buildings and programs for upgrades and retrofits to existing structures. Loans could be repaid through savings on property tax or utility bills;


• Stronger efficiency requirements for appliances;


• Increase power from cogeneration plants from 9,249 megawatts now to almost 16,000 megawatts over 20 years;


• Appoint a renewable-energy czar to ensure goals and deadlines are met.

Brown also has touted the creation of electric vehicle charging stations along interstates and, as attorney general, sued Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over their disruption of PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) programs.

Brown's plan came a month after competitor Meg Whitman, who says she will suspend California's groundbreaking AB 32 greenhouse gas-cutting program, released her plan for creating jobs.

Both candidates have to deal with a gaping $19 billion budget deficit. Whitman's program revolves around tax cuts to spur investment, streamlining and reforming regulations and recruiting jobs. The highlights:

• Eliminating business start-up fee and factory equipment tax;


• Increasing research and development incentives;


• Eliminating state tax on capital gains;


• Tax incentive for water technology;


• Establish academic Enterprise zones around universities;


• Incentives for creating green jobs;


• Head an economic development sales force;


• Support construction of more water storage;


• Home buyer's tax credit.'

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.