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7 <br /> development that contributes to both property and sales tax revenues, and enhances high- <br /> quality employment opportunities for County residents." (Section 3.5 of Comprehensive Plan); <br /> gust this week, UNC-Chapel Hill announced that it received a 17.5 million dollar grant to <br /> develop solar fuels from next-generation photovoltaic technology, which would provide a <br /> foundation for the development of this solar cluster; <br /> Renewable energy has significant economic growth potential and is consistent with the <br /> values <br /> and goals of Orange County residents for sustainable, green initiatives; <br /> Data support future job growth of up to 440,000 jobs by 2016 in this sector nationwide; <br /> �To develop the workforce needed for this sector, a solar-focused curriculum is already <br /> planned for the Fall Semester of 2009 at the Orange County Campus of Durham Technical <br /> Community College (DTCC); <br /> gobs created in the energy sector tend to be higher paying than retail, and provide stable <br /> jobs for people throughout a range of educational attainment; <br /> The transportation location of Orange County (at the intersection of both a major east-west <br /> and a north-south highway) is ideal to attract and facilitate growth in this sector. The potential <br /> supply chain to support this industry is already fairly well developed along the 1-85 corridor; <br /> Development of this industry would allow us to reap the benefits of our proximate intellectual <br /> environment, such as research universities and Research Triangle Park; <br /> The current federal stimulus funding supports significant growth in the solar industry; <br /> State legislation requires that energy companies in North Carolina obtain 12.5 % of their <br /> energy portfolio from renewable energy production (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency <br /> Portfolio Standard or RPS); and <br /> �A growing energy demand suggests that additional sources of energy will be required in the <br /> future; given the regulatory hurdles of traditional energy sources (coal and nuclear, <br /> specifically), <br /> renewable energy supply will need to meet this demand. <br /> A recent article in the Triangle Business Journal has already brought several inquiries to <br /> Economic Development staff about Orange County's solar focus. The current impediment to <br /> moving ahead in talking with interested parties remains the short comings in assets available <br /> to market Orange County as an expansion venue to manufacturing and research and <br /> development operations. <br /> We, as the advisory board to the EDC, enthusiastically support an effort to position Orange <br /> County as a leading hub for solar growth in North Carolina, the Southeast, and the United <br /> States. However, we must move in a timely manner to leverage the assets already available, <br /> such as the DTCC curriculum and the UNC grant, and to effectively compete in the <br /> marketplace for this type of industry. We recommend that appropriate action be taken now to <br />