RELEASE: Workers Describe Their Path into Clean Energy in New Videos Released on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s 2nd Anniversary
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the Clean Energy for America Education Fund launched two new videos celebrating the stories of recent entrants to the clean energy workforce. Their release coincides with the 2nd anniversary of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is opening new pathways into the field.
The new videos feature on-site testimonials from Justine, Julius, and May, three workers at ESS Inc, a clean technology manufacturer located in Wilsonville, Oregon. The company designs, builds and deploys environmentally sustainable, low-cost, iron flow batteries for commercial and utility-scale long-duration energy storage applications.
“We’re proud to ensure these stories get told because they’re stories that Americans are wanting to hear,” said Andrew Reagan, executive director of Clean Energy for American Education Fund. “These laws are creating these jobs which are creating these technologies that cut costs and pollution for communities.”
As many as 9-million jobs are expected to be created by the investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act and the Chips and Science Act. The new videos are the latest in a series of day-in-the-life videos that CE4AEF is releasing this fall as part of their Faces of Clean Energy campaign.
The videos are available here, and the scripts are transcribed below.
GOOD CAREER
I used to work in the fossil fuel field, and I’m so happy I transitioned to the clean energy. My previous job was actually at a startup working to recycle lithium ion batteries. Before I was [at] an automation company, down the street actually. I knew that I wanted to switch to clean energy, but I didn’t know where to start. Then ESS reached out to me, and like, well, this is a sign, yes, I need to switch, and [the] time is now. If I’m going to invest my time I’m going to put it toward something of importance, and so I was always looking for work that was fulfilling in that way. This is what I’m working for. This is what I want to do, and this is what I would be able to contribute, my knowledge and my skills, to help the environment. It feels so good to [be] learning about a product that is being manufactured here in the U.S. I care about working in clean energy to help out people around the world — my kids especially. Have them grow up in a clean environment, a safer environment. They mean everything to me. It means a lot when I explain to people what I do. They’re like, ‘Wow, do you guys do this?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, we do!’
GOOD POLICY
Clean energy is important because it’s how we live our lives. It’s where our energy is coming from. We cannot maintain some of the things we chose to invest in in earlier years. We got to think about the future, think about the kids growing. I want my kids to have a better world, a better environment when they grow up. It’s something I strive for and make sure they live a healthy life. I used to work in the fossil fuel field, and I’m so happy that I transitioned to the clean energy. Clean energy is our future. It’s how we have a future. It’s just the better way to go. We’re not just building this clean energy for just Oregon or just [a] few states. We’re trying to help the world be a better place and for everything else to be clean and to help out the environment in general. The rewarding aspect is that we are bringing more jobs and opportunities for making things local. We’re being able to improve our infrastructure here in the U.S., built in the U.S., with largely sourced U.S. materials. It feels great to be a part of this movement, this clean energy in America because everything is being made in America, and we’re a part of this great movement.
