The federal government’s Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board released new data today on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act spending and job creation. It reported that $160 billion in federal grants and loans have been awarded nationally, resulting in the retention or creation of 640,329 jobs.

Stimulus grants, loans and tax credits are spurring clean energy innovation across the country. Tax credits are helping citizens make their homes more energy efficient, while funding mechanisms like Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants and the Weatherization Assistance Program are inspiring cities to develop new models for financing large-scale retrofit projects.

“The Recovery Act data confirms what we’ve been hearing from clean energy companies and green jobs advocates around the country,” said Phil Angelides, chairman of the Apollo Alliance. “ARRA funding is helping clean energy companies reopen factories and rehire previously laid-off workers. It has led to the creation of innovative programs that are going to reduce consumers’ energy bills as we approach winter, and create green jobs in areas like home weatherization and clean energy manufacturing.”

Earlier this month, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board announced that $16 billion in ARRA contracts had been awarded, resulting in the retention or creation of more than 30,000 jobs. Details about the new ARRA data can be found at www.recovery.gov/pages/home.aspx .

A Hoosier example of how ARRA funds have been put to work:

SunRise Solar of St. John, Ind., makes solar-powered attic fans, a technology that saves homeowners 30 percent on the cooling portion of their utility bills. Owner Bill Keith launched the business in 2003 out of his garage and is planning to open a second production facility next year. Sales have increased, in part, due to a 30 percent tax credit included in the Recovery Act for the purchase of energy efficiency products. Because Sunrise Solar uses local suppliers wherever possible, the company is creating jobs throughout the local economy.

Source: The Apollo Alliance