The efficiency sector provides more jobs than any other in the U.S. energy industry but employment has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a report released Tuesday by nonpartisan business group E2 and clean energy nonprofit E4TheFuture…
…The E2 and E4TheFuture employment report highlighted the sector’s importance and challenges.
Pre-pandemic, the efficiency sector was growing at an annual rate of about 3%. COVID-19 ultimately wiped out almost 322,000 jobs in the sector.
Efficiency jobs, which include some manufacturing and construction workers, total about 2.1 million compared with about 972,000 in the fossil fuel industry, 1.18 million in traditional transmission and distribution jobs, and about 668,000 in clean energy, according to the report…
…That highlights the need for federal support for efficiency programs, said E2 Executive Director Bob Keefe. He said the Build Back Better proposal advanced by the House Energy and Commerce Committee included $18 billion for residential efficiency upgrades and $17 billion to improve federal buildings.