Maddie Wazowicz | May 11, 2020
UPDATE: A new report published by E4TheFuture revealed the Midwest lost a total of 96,672 energy efficiency jobs and 138,422 clean energy jobs since the start of COVID-19.
The energy efficiency workforce has seen robust growth over the last decade, as MEEA has previously highlighted. However, recent expansion has been erased by the COVID-19 crisis. E2’s 2020 report estimates that upwards of 69,800 energy efficiency workers filed for unemployment in March, with additional claims certainly coming in April and beyond. To put this number in perspective, those March unemployment claims more than wipe out the 54,000 new jobs the EE industry added in 2019. According to E2 and BW Research Partnership, the broader clean energy sector could lose…
Learn more ›Alison Lindburg | April 27, 2020
On April 20, 2020, the City of St. Louis became the first city in the Midwest to pass a Building Energy Performance Standard. In doing so, St. Louis is taking steps toward significant carbon reductions and providing leadership to other cities throughout the Midwest.
The St. Louis Building Energy Performance Standard ordinance was a response to meeting the city’s Climate Goal of 100% Clean Energy in the electricity sector by 2035 and was a recommendation of the Pathways to 100% Clean Energy report. It also supports the American Cities Climate Challenge, a Bloomberg initiative involving 25 American cities, including St. Louis; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Minneapolis, MN and St. Paul, MN. The ordinance was…
Learn more ›Kara Jonas | April 23, 2020
The economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are extensive. Small businesses around the world are struggling to stay open and maintain their staff. The energy efficiency industry has not been immune to these impacts, with many industry organizations making difficult decisions to institute furloughs, lay-offs and salary and benefit reductions. A $2 trillion response bill was approved to provide relief across the United States economy. This legislation, known as the CARES Act and signed into law on March 27, 2020, provides relief for individuals, state and local governments, large corporations, public health organizations and small businesses. Though the funds allocated for small business relief were quickly exhausted, on April 24th…
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