SANDAG says biofuels industry contributing millions to San Diego economy

A study carried out by San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) says the algal biofuels industry employed 466 workers in the San Diego region last year, providing more than $41 million (€32 million) in payroll and nearly $81 million in economic activity.

Adding to this, the industry is also expected to generate about $12.5 million in payroll and about $33 million in additional economic activity within other companies. These companies include those that are working in the goods and services industry which deal with algal biofuels companies.

For employment relating to jobs supporting research into the algal biofuel sector, just under 220 jobs are being provided in San Diego.

Beth Jarosz, senior economic analyst from SANDAG, says in a letter addressed to Stephen Mayfield, director of San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology: ‘Future production of biofuel from algae has the potential to produce a sustainable and easily produced fuel source for the nation. This may result in advantages such as a cleaner environment, lower fuel costs, and other benefits. Those benefits are in addition to, not included in, the economic impact analysis.’

A summary of algal biofuel research’s impacts are as follows:

	Direct	Indirect	Induced	Total
Employment	466	219	320	1005
Wages	$41 million	$12.5 million	$14.7 million	$68 million
Output	$81 million	$33 million	$43 million	$157 million