In a continuing effort to promote renewable energy development and bring new jobs to Montana, the state’s Department of Commerce created a new division to specifically focus on renewable energy infrastructure.

The Montana Legislature approved the division, dubbed Energy Infrastructure Promotion and Development, during its 2007 session to focus on promoting and developing additional energy distribution capacity. The state says it expects the new division to bring more jobs to the state, increasing the tax base.

“This new energy division will aggressively pursue opportunities to obtain leveraged resources to ensure Montana achieves the biggest bang for the buck,” says Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D).

A longtime supporter of the national “25x’25” initiative, a grassroots effort encouraging 25 percent of all U.S. energy be created from renewable resources by the year 2025, Governor Schweitzer signed into law a state Renewable Portfolio Standard in April 2005. The law requires each public utility operating in the state to procure a minimum of 5 percent of retail electricity sales from eligible renewable energy sources beginning in 2008, increasing to 10 percent in 2010, and 15 percent in 2015 and thereafter [see “Big plan in Big Sky country,” nwcurrent, May 2006].

The Energy Infrastructure Promotion and Development will employ five full-time staff members.