Gray skies, gloomy forecasts, time to hunker down as storms are brewing. The weather? Nope, just the “Uh-oh!” business news that’s thrown ice water on the economy and made checking your 401(k) a test of nerves. But, hey, how about some good news amid all the worries?

Fortunately, there is a bright spot and that’s the positive impact that smart choices about energy are having on the economy – your personal economy, and the bigger picture, too. New thinking about how we produce and use electricity, natural gas and other fuels is giving the economy a shot in the arm. Here are a few examples from around the country and around the Puget Sound.

Nationally, investments in wind energy are creating new jobs, with plants for wind turbine parts being announced in Arkansas, Indiana, Minnesota and Iowa. In California, a new Berkeley study found that energy-efficiency policies created nearly 1.5 million new jobs there since 1977. Better still, the study found that when businesses save with energy efficiency they often use that money to invest in other areas, in effect adding muscle while cutting fat.

Closer to home, companies in Washington now make everything from the towers that support wind turbines to solar panels. Puget Sound Energy is encouraging the development of Washington-made panels at the utility’s Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility near Ellensburg. Business opportunities also are growing for consultants who study wind patterns for placing the turbines, contractors and builders who know energy efficiency and entrepreneurs looking to harness the power of the tides. Other companies around here are developing new, energy-efficient technologies such as power-saving industrial motors and equipment.

Here’s another happy headline: the federal tax credit for solar at home just got a lot more attractive. The tax credit is now a full 30 percent of the cost of your solar system, with a previous $2,000 cap on the credit being eliminated. That’s good news, as a solar array capable of meeting a large portion of average residential electric needs is a $20,000-25,000 proposition. Right now PSE has more than 320 customers with solar or other renewable energy systems, and we expect this number to really take off with the expanded solar credit.

And to give credit for the credit where credit is due. A tip of the sun visor must go to two members of our Washington delegation. Sen. Maria Cantwell and Congressman Jim McDermott have led the way on ensuring that consumers will continue to benefit from tax credits for utility-scale wind and solar projects.

If you’re interested in solar, drop me a line at AskAndy@PSE.com or call a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482 to learn how we’ll help you trim your electric bill and send any excess green power you generate back out to the grid. You also can give the Energy Advisors a call or stop by PSE.com to find out how to save a little energy and do your wallet a favor.

So there you have it, a few bright spots during unsettled times. And these days, I’m all for any bright spot I can find, provided it’s energy efficient, of course.

Gray skies, gloomy forecasts, time to hunker down as storms are brewing. The weather? Nope, just the “Uh-oh!” business news that’s thrown ice water on the economy and made checking your 401(k) a test of nerves. But, hey, how about some good news amid all the worries?

Fortunately, there is a bright spot and that’s the positive impact that smart choices about energy are having on the economy – your personal economy, and the bigger picture, too. New thinking about how we produce and use electricity, natural gas and other fuels is giving the economy a shot in the arm. Here are a few examples from around the country and around the Puget Sound.

Nationally, investments in wind energy are creating new jobs, with plants for wind turbine parts being announced in Arkansas, Indiana, Minnesota and Iowa. In California, a new Berkeley study found that energy-efficiency policies created nearly 1.5 million new jobs there since 1977. Better still, the study found that when businesses save with energy efficiency they often use that money to invest in other areas, in effect adding muscle while cutting fat.

Closer to home, companies in Washington now make everything from the towers that support wind turbines to solar panels. Puget Sound Energy is encouraging the development of Washington-made panels at the utility’s Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility near Ellensburg. Business opportunities also are growing for consultants who study wind patterns for placing the turbines, contractors and builders who know energy efficiency and entrepreneurs looking to harness the power of the tides. Other companies around here are developing new, energy-efficient technologies such as power-saving industrial motors and equipment.

Here’s another happy headline: the federal tax credit for solar at home just got a lot more attractive. The tax credit is now a full 30 percent of the cost of your solar system, with a previous $2,000 cap on the credit being eliminated. That’s good news, as a solar array capable of meeting a large portion of average residential electric needs is a $20,000-25,000 proposition. Right now PSE has more than 320 customers with solar or other renewable energy systems, and we expect this number to really take off with the expanded solar credit.

And to give credit for the credit where credit is due. A tip of the sun visor must go to two members of our Washington delegation. Sen. Maria Cantwell and Congressman Jim McDermott have led the way on ensuring that consumers will continue to benefit from tax credits for utility-scale wind and solar projects.

If you’re interested in solar, drop me a line at AskAndy@PSE.com or call a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482 to learn how we’ll help you trim your electric bill and send any excess green power you generate back out to the grid. You also can give the Energy Advisors a call or stop by PSE.com to find out how to save a little energy and do your wallet a favor.

So there you have it, a few bright spots during unsettled times. And these days, I’m all for any bright spot I can find, provided it’s energy efficient, of course.