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8 Hartford Business Journal • September 17, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com Reporter's Notebook Matt Pilon | mpilon@HartfordBusiness.com Health Care/Bioscience, Startups & Entrepreneurs, Government/Law and Energy ENERGY Could clean energy become an election issue? A new poll commis- sioned by the Sierra Club has found strong support for clean and renewable energy among Connecticut voters across the politi- cal spectrum. The survey of 500 likely voters was conducted in July by Washington D.C. Democratic polling firm Greenberg Quin- lan Rosner Research (GQRR), and could be the most compre- hensive look in years at how Connecticut residents think about energy policies. It found that 73 percent of voters support mov- ing Connecticut over the coming decade to 100 percent renewable energy, such as solar and wind. That includes 88 percent of Democrats, 71 per- cent of independents and 54 percent of Republi- cans. Meantime, 72 percent of voters said climate change is a serious problem, while 65 percent want state government to increase the amount of money it spends on clean energy. Thus far, gubernatorial candidates in Con- necticut have been focused on discussing tax and spending policies, while talks about energy issues have been mini- mal. But the poll sug- gests that politicians' stances on energy will be a factor at the bal- lot box, according to the Sierra Club. Sixty-percent of voters said they were more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the state moving toward a goal of 100 percent renew- able energy, including 82 percent of Demo- crat respondents, 57 percent of independents and 36 percent of Republicans. "I don't know if I would say it's surprising, but it's quite a robust group of voters, and it extends across party lines," said Ben Winston, senior associate at GQRR. While nearly three-quarters of respondents support a move to 100 percent renewable energy by 2030, which Winston conceded is "a fairly am- bitious goal," it's unclear how many understood what that might entail or cost. The amount of clean energy used in Connect- icut is measured by a requirement known as the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which dictates what percentage of electricity sold by the state's utility companies must come from renewable sources, as defined by state law. Re- newable energy costs more money than regular fossil-fuel-generated power. The Department of Energy and Environmen- tal Protection (DEEP) estimated earlier this year that the state's current RPS requirement, which mandates utilities to source 17 percent of their electricity from renewable sources, costs ratepayers $250 million per year above what it would cost to produce the same amount of en- ergy from fossil fuels. That annual cost will rise to around $300 million in the early 2020s, before gradually declining to $200 million by 2030, DEEP has projected. However, the esti- mates did not factor in a new state law that doubled down on the state's clean energy mandates, requir- ing that utilities source 40 percent of their electricity from renewables by 2030. The law is expected to increase ratepayer costs, but by how much will depend on many factors, such as whether renewable technology continues to decline in cost, as it has in recent years. There's also debate over the logistics of moving toward 100 percent renewables, which would likely require major investments in high- voltage electric grid infrastructure. SMALL BUSINESS CEOs: Workplace culture key to wooing Millennials What's most important to Millennial workers? Three Connecticut small business executives said recently that salary is further down the list than you might think. At a recent panel discus- sion hosted by the Connecti- cut Business & Industry As- sociation (CBIA) in Hartford, the CEOs of Fairfield's Big- elow Tea, Norwalk's Opera- tionsInc, and Old Saybrook's Sound Manufacturing and Monster Power Equipment discussed the topic. Kelli-Marie Vallieres, who is CEO of sister companies Sound Manufacturing and Monster Power Equipment, said she has to compete for employees with Groton's Electric Boat, which adver- tises starting salaries that some of her mid-to-upper- level employees make. "In the end, we just can't compete with them," Vallieres said, at least not on pay alone. To try to even the playing field, her companies offer more schedule flexibility, let employees stay home if their child is sick, and try to make them feel that their input to management is valued. "In the end, most people would rather work at a small business that provides them some opportunity and flex- ibility and feeling a part of something bigger," she said. Bigelow Tea CEO Cindi Bi- gelow said she hires interns, looks to promote talented employees who might not have a traditional back- ground for her industry, and tries to treat younger em- ployees the way she would want to be treated. "The key is retaining, not just bringing in … quality … people," Bigelow said. "You all have the power to not lose people to the higher-paying big guy down the street." David Lewis of Opera- tionsInc, a human resources outsourcing and consulting firm, said offering certain benefits can be key, and that outspending the competition isn't always necessary. "Yesterday I worked in a [New York] Giants jersey be- cause it was the beginning of football season," Lewis said. "I wear jeans to work every day and all employees do, too." "We feed everyone lunch, we provide them with that option," he added. His company also offers life insurance, certain legal services, and helps organize employee sports leagues. "Those don't cost us much of anything other than a little bit of administrative time, but at the end of the day, all of your employees will migrate to the things that are impor- tant to them," Lewis said. It's important to keep up with employees' wants, espe- cially now, he added, because they can access online job boards and social media. "They continue every day to be told about where the grass is greener in their respective market," Lewis said. "That's a danger to everybody. It means every single day, whether you like it or not, your employees are on a job hunt." CT voter support for moving to 100% renewable energy by 2030 Support Oppose Total 73% 21% Democrats 88% 7% Independents 71% 21% Republicans 54% 40% Source: Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research | Sierra Club Poll Wind energy is one of the renewable sources Connecticut is banking on as it tries to procure more power from cleaner sources. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED HBJ PHOTO | MATT PILON Bigelow Tea CEO Cindi Bigelow and OperationsInc HR Consulting CEO David Lewis at a CBIA panel discussion this month.