Good energy-related jobs fueled by stimulus

By Nicole Lucht (contact), In Business reporter

Fri, Sep 4, 2009 (3 a.m.)

There is decent green in jobs to weatherize energy inefficient homes.

The state’s labor commissioner released the prevailing wage rates for jobs under the federal stimulus program and Nevada’s Green Jobs Initiative, adopted June 9.

The state is following U.S. Labor Department recommendations instead of developing its own, Nevada Labor Commissioner Michael Tanchek said.

The wages in Clark County range from $15 an hour for a worker replacing doors and windows to $54.76 for an electrician. Apprentices aren’t paid the prevailing wage; rather they are paid according to what their apprenticeship programs have established.

Go to www.laborcommissioner.com and follow the link to “residential weatherization,” or call the commission’s office at 486-2795.

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Businesses have until Oct. 16 to apply for the first round of federal tax credits for manufacturers of clean energy equipment.

There is $2.3 billion available for the two-year advanced energy manufacturing tax credit through the Recovery Act. It’s a collaboration between the Treasury and Energy departments and is aimed at promoting energy production and independence.

The program provides a 30 percent credit for investments in new, expanded or reequipped clean energy manufacturing projects.

The Energy Department and the Internal Revenue Service will decide which applicants will receive the credit, based on a manufacturer’s expected job creation, its reduction of air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, technological innovation and ability to have the project up and running quickly.

Winning applicants will be announced Jan. 15.

Go to energy.gov/recovery/48C.htm for more information.

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Two grocers with stores in Las Vegas have been recognized as Environmental Protection Agency GreenChill partners, a dedication to reduce their carbon footprint.

Albertson’s and Fresh & Easy will start by measuring and tracking refrigerators‚ emissions that could add to greenhouse gases, promising that any upgrades to their refrigerant system or new construction will use only ozone-friendly alternatives.

The EPA said that if every grocery store nationwide reduced its emissions using the GreenChill guidelines, 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and 249 ozone-depleting potential tons would stay out of the air. This would save $108 million in refrigerant expenses each year.

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For the next several weeks, Republic Services is testing a hybrid garbage truck in Las Vegas.

Autocar and Parker Hannifin developed the E3 RunWise Hybrid Drive truck, which is said to improve fuel savings up to 50 percent and cut down on noise and carbon dioxide emissions.

Republic Services is expected to run the truck on its high demand routes.

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The Southern Nevada Water Authority is co-hosting with the EPA a WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exhibition from Oct. 7-9 at South Point.

About 130 abstracts by water-efficiency professionals from around the world will be presented. Training sessions will include construction and development, drought management, conservation and incentive programs.

Coinciding with the conference is the California-Nevada region of the American Water Works Association’s fall conference at the Riviera.

Registration is $390 per person for the WaterSmart conference.

Go to watersmartinnovations.com for more information.

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The Nevada Renewable Energy Leadership Award was recently given to Rose McKinney-James, managing principal of Energy Works Consulting, by Solar NV, the Southern Nevada chapter of the American Solar Energy Society.

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Cox Communications received the 2009 North American Broadband Customer Value Leadership award by Frost & Sullivan, a global business research and consulting firm. The award noted that Cox offered the most economical and secure packages for high-speed Internet customers.

Nicole Lucht covers health care, workplace, energy and banking issues for In Business Las Vegas and its sister publication, the Las Vegas Sun. She can be reached at 259-8832 or at nicole.lucht@lasvegassun.com.