The Industrial and Economic Future of Our Region

Pittsburgh At Night

Mike Langley, former CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, recently gave a “State of the Pittsburgh Region” speech to several hundred business leaders in which he laid out a strategy for the region’s future that suggests energy and the environment will be the keystones of our growth.

Despite the current global economy and fiscal climate, Langley suggests that we see these times of crisis as an opportunity to pool our regional resources and pour the foundation for a prosperous future where local businesses provide the products and services that will be in highest demand across our nation and around the world in the coming years, starting with energy.

We are already an established global presence in the nuclear energy industry thanks to the work and commitment of several companies such as Westinghouse. Their decision to build their new headquarters facility in southwestern Pennsylvania means more than $1 billion in additional business for our region and over 3,000 jobs that didn’t leave. They also plan to create thousands of new jobs in the coming years too.

Some of the world’s most innovative energy and environmental solutions are being established here right now, and we also have many companies who specialize in the products and technologies for cleaner fossil fuel extractions and use, as well as wind turbines and solar power.

Local businesses are working to overcome the technical and cost challenges of clean energy solutions. They’re designing the networks and building the components that will be our nation’s future energy supply and distribution grid.

They’re also leading the way in energy efficient building materials and working to expand the use of natural gas. A cleaner than coal energy solution that can power everything from buildings to transportation, and many believe will be the key transitional resource that bridges the divide between fossil fuels and green energy. Southwestern Pennsylvania sits on the nation’s largest undeveloped reserve of natural gas.

For our region, all of this work in the energy and environmental sectors has a broader reach because it also means economic growth in other areas as well. It will create additional demand for local growth in engineering, information technologies, banking services, medical services, restaurants, hotels and so on; meaning more jobs of all levels and additional opportunities to stay and prosper in our region for the students graduating from our schools. By positioning our region to be the hub from which our nation fuels itself, we will also be fueling our own growth in almost every area.

Some have called Langley’s strategy bold, and perhaps it is given the timing. While private sector leaders in other regions are taking cover from the economic woes and negative public perceptions of the current financial crisis, it’s certainly bold to suggest now be the time business leaders in our region step to the front lines of guiding public policy through grand investment and development, but the plan itself isn’t really bold or even new.

Our region has always played a pivotal role in periods of national prosperity. From modern oil refining to coal and steel. From the birth of modern conservation to the technologies for making fossil fuels a little cleaner. And as we make our way from dirty energy to clean, green solutions, southwestern Pennsylvania is once again uniquely positioned to lead the way; and also provide the primary bridging energy source of natural gas through the transition.

Our region has a long history of innovation that deserves to be honored with pride, and our future is looking bright too.