“You look at the consequences of black lung for a miner, for instance, and measure that against the fastest-growing job in the United States before covid was solar power technician. The same people can do those jobs, but the choice of doing the solar power one now is a better choice. And similarly, you have the second-fastest-growing job pre-covid was wind turbine technician.” — John Kerry, presidential climate envoy

This above statement earned Mr. Kerry “two Pinocchios” from the Washington Post. Ouch. 

For today’s District of Conservation episode, I asked my guest—Lee DeLange from GenPro Energy Solutions , a renewable energy company out of South Dakota—whether or not it’s easy for traditional energy workers to transition to solar technician jobs. DeLange offered, “It’s a very different set of skills, and it’s actually very tough to find [a] really good workforce.” He added if individuals voluntarily seek out renewable energy jobs, they can be trained. 

DeLange also discussed living in South Dakota, why he’s a fan of Governor Kristi Noem, the annual Buffalo Roundup, his job at GenPro Energy Solutions, how the market—not government— should innovate on the renewable energy front, and hunting. 

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