By Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL-7)
On a hot Alabama summer or during the cold winter depths on February, take a minute to think about all the men and women behind the scenes in Alabama who work to make sure that when you flip that switch, the power is there pushing that cool breeze from your air conditioner or firing the heat in that furnace.
A study by a new business nonprofit in our state – the Energy Institute of Alabama – found that 124,000 people work in our energy sector in the state. You certainly must know a few. The Energy Institute’s study also found that our state’s energy sector contributes $13.2 billion economic impact in Alabama. That’s an amazing number!
The Energy Institute of Alabama’s mission is to promote reliable, affordable and clean energy to help grow our State’s economy, create high-paying jobs and build public support for our energy industry. These leaders will continue to work – as will I – to keep the consumer always in the forefront in all their decisions.
To demonstrate how important the energy sector is for Alabama, this group commissioned – along with the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama – the first ever economic impact study that revealed some fairly surprising results:
The EIA’s study shows that Alabama ranks sixth in the nation in total electricity generation and 16th in total energy production; Alabama ranks fifth in the country in renewable electricity generated by biomass sources and is 17th in the number of producing natural gas wells; and Hydroelectric power is also a key source of energy for Alabamians, producing 75 percent of the State’s generation from renewable resources.
The complete economic impact study is at www.energyinstituteal.org/about/impact.
It is critically important for our state and nation to continue to pursue policies that keep energy affordable for all our citizens. It is equally important that energy providers pursue clean options that meet the standards of reliability. I will continue to work with the energy industry in Alabama to make sure these mutual goals continue to be in the forefront of all they do.
Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) is serving her fourth term representing Alabama’s 7th Congressional district. She sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was recently appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Sewell is a Chief Deputy Whip and serves on the prestigious Steering and Policy Committee of the Democratic Caucus. She is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and serves as Vice Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, and Vice Chair of Outreach for the New Democrat Coalition.
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