The head of a company bringing green jobs to Wisconsin argues for a federal renewable energy standard. Helios CEO Steve Ostrenga, whose firm is bringing jobs to Milwaukee in what will be the first solar manufacturing firm of it’s type in Wisconsin, argues that a comprehensive, federal clean energy and climate policy will help companies such as his expand – and add more jobs.
“It gives us more access to capital,” says Ostrenga. “That’s the biggest reason why federally, there’s got to be a stakehold in this. It gives a signal to the financial markets that it’s real, it will be here a long time, and they’re going to be supporting it.” Wisconsin’s Renewable Portfolio Standard requires utilities to obtain ten percent of the state’s electricity use from renewable sources such as solar by 2015. Ostrenga says that’s great, but a similar federal standard would be even better.