Decarbonize Work
25 million new jobs is estimated in the next five years as part of US decarbonization by 2035 without forcing Americans to sacrifice their current lifestyles or need to invent any new technology. This number was mentioned by Saul Griffith in a Vox August 27, 2020 podcast, with more details in a jobs report entitled “Mobilizing for a zero carbon America: Jobs, jobs, jobs, and more jobs”. Saul Griffith knows the numbers on US energy system better than just about anyone:
“And we don’t really have a vision for how to create the same amount of liquid fuels as we do today to drive our cars. So really the only answer if we’re going to continue to have a lot of cars is to electrify them. Similarly, we don’t really have an answer to providing heat to our homes that’s zero carbon unless we electrify...The really good news that’s hidden in there is if we electrify everything, we’ll only need 40 to 50 percent of the energy we currently use (due to efficiency gains with electrification upgrades) to do all of the things that we do today.”
Certainly not 25M net-new jobs in my mind, but jobs requiring new skillsets nonetheless. Most of the jobs required to decarbonize will be technician, construction, and manufacturing jobs likely for home retrofit areas. One retrofit area is replacing traditional furnaces and air conditioners with electric heat pumps. Training needed for installation, maintenance, and repair. New marketing and sales programs to be developed.
I personally did not plan ahead enough for my own new heat pump purchase. Like the vast majority of people, I purchased a furnace replacement under last minute conditions: my in-laws were two days away from their Lunar New Year stay with us during a cold February when my furnace failed in smoky fashion. The most expedient local HVAC providers did not have my preferred heat pumps in stock nor the trained personnel to install in time. I knew ducting work was also required. I replaced Bryant for Bryant, like for like, rather than starting the new year in a cold house with space heaters and lukewarm dumplings.
My replacement furnace that should have been a heat pump
A lost, personal opportunity for electrification indeed. Great to see non-profits like Efficiency First California helping contractors through clean energy transition.