As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, billions of dollars have been set aside for green energy and solar projects. It has been a focus of the Biden Administration to supply opportunities for states and local entities to gain access to funds in an overall effort to fight climate change. Through these new plans, states and non-profit groups can apply for part of the allotted $27 billion in funding to finance a number of green energy and solar projects.
Jason Lamonica, COO of SPEC on the Job, sees this injection of funds as a way for all families to benefit from clean yet affordable green energy options. Some of the funds are being awarded through a Zero-Emissions Technology Fund Competition which aims to allow for the deployment of residential and community rooftop solar projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Green energy projects and jobs
“We expect up to 60 grants will be awarded under this competition,” Lamonica surmises. The EPA is hosting two other grant competitions along with the Zero-Emissions Technology Fund Competition under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund — part of the Biden Administration’s larger energy and environmental impact plan.
Lamonica, whose staffing service includes solar energy workers, also sees this as a boom time for solar employment opportunities. With solar becoming more affordable through programs like the various Inflation Reduction Act programs, Lamonica is anticipating a bright future for solar job staffing.
“My focus has been on utility solar, renewable energy, and large-scale solar farms,” he explains. The focus on green energy funding will allow for that focus to be supported and, most importantly, fully staffed.
Collaboration for funding
Even with the influx of funds coming from government programs, non-profit entities will still seek additional funding opportunities and collaboration opportunities to keep green energy and solar initiatives afloat. “Collaboration with community financing institutions — such as green banks, community development financial institutions, credit unions, and housing finance agencies — allows the use of both public dollars and private capital to invest in projects that can reduce pollution and lower energy costs for families and neighborhoods,” explains Lamonica.
The Inflation Reduction Act is being called the “most significant climate legislation in US history” with the hope that, through robust funding, major clean energy initiatives will turn the tables on climate change for the better. Since the Inflation Reduction Act came into law, over 100,000 clean energy jobs have been created, with some predicting that up to 38 million people globally could be employed in the green energy industry by the end of the decade.
It’s a shift that is welcomed by Jason Lamonica and the team at SPEC on the Job. “Our CEO, Jude Tallman, is always out there exploring new possibilities. We never say we don’t think something will work. Our job is to figure out how we can get there.”
With the help of funding, climate change-focused initiatives, and government support, those that work to support the green energy and solar industry can “get there” faster and more affordably than ever before.
