This is an example of what several of us are currently working on here in Coos and Curry counties. From Renewable Energy Access
Varese, Italy has added 140 jobs in the past ten years. That’s pretty good for a town with a population of only 2,400. The town, which is located in Liguria in the northern part of Italy, is experiencing an economic boom fueled by renewable energy.
The town has seen a six-fold increase in tourists in the last ten years, many coming just to see its renewable energy network.
Varese became the first municipality in Europe to get 100 percent of its power from renewable energy sources six years ago. It now generates three times more electricity than the people living in Varese need and there are plans in the pipeline for even more renewables.
For this pioneering role, the town won a prize from the European Union (EU) in 2004.
By utilizing new wind turbine technology, photovoltaics, hydro turbines and other carbon neutral renewable sources Coos and Curry counties can implement community scale distributed energy municipal utility systems to provide local sustainability and jobs.
