By Phil Coupe, Co-Founder of Revision Energy
Switching from fossil fuel combustion to renewable energy plus electrical appliances is called "Beneficial Electrification." For example, when you switch from a gas-powered car to an electric vehicle powered by solar, it benefits everyone by eliminating tailpipe emissions and benefits the EV owner through energy savings and a general vehicle upgrade. Ditto for heat pumps instead of boilers and batteries instead of backup generators.
Now try to imagine the beneficial electrification of 150 years of fossil fuel infrastructure in America, including homes, office buildings, manufacturing plants, gas stations, etc. This represents the largest infrastructure project in human history, dwarfing massive projects like the interstate highway system and New Deal initiatives like the Hoover Dam and Tennessee Valley Authority.
Transitioning our society from coal, oil and gas to clean power like wind and solar, combined with electrical appliances is going to require hundreds of thousands of skilled, licensed electrical workers. Unfortunately, we do not have nearly enough of these skilled workers today due to a lack of enrollment in traditional blue collar trades schools, community colleges, and electrical training and licensing programs.
Thankfully, Mainers are taking decisive action to address this extraordinary labor shortage. For starters, the Maine Community College System is currently offering 2 years of free tuition to any high school graduates from the classes of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Local companies have created programs like the ReVision Energy Training Center - ReVision Energy, where a high school graduate can enjoy a full-time job with benefits while working toward an electrical license and toward employee-ownership. Similarly, Cianbro has an in-house program to train and license skilled workers.
Today the renewable energy industry is standing at a historic threshold, similar to what the oil companies saw in the 1900s before society's rapid adoption of the internal combustion engine and the fossil fuel innovations that powered the most profound advancement in the history of humankind throughout the Industrial Revolution. For this next energy transition, a more enlightened world can be intentional about making it equitable, just and beneficial for both humanity and the natural environment that is crucial to our survival, and our enjoyment here on planet earth. You can do your part by encouraging young folks to become a superhero electrician, or enroll in a training program yourself and join the many happy workers in the renewable energy industry. Help spread the truth that electricians are going to save the world!