By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – The next decade will see more use of renewable energy in Illinois, and even more so if an idea floated at the statehouse comes to fruition.
The Path to 100 Act would extend the momentum of the Future Energy Jobs Act for a goal of 40 percent renewable energy by 2030 and commit money to achieve it.
“We have to make sure that these benefits trickle down to all communities,” said the bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood). “I represent predominantly minority communities; some of my communities are hardest hit by unemployment. So these are opportunities to employ a significant number of people.”
More on that from the Chicago Urban League’s Andrew Wells: “I had a young lady who came through; she is a single mother and worked at Monterey Security, making $11.54 an hour,” Wells said. “We put her in our solar training program, and when she came out, she was making $22 an hour and now wants to further her education and become a project manager. So programs like this really work.”
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]
