The Biden administration announced its first auction of offshore wind power leases today, in the New York Bight off the coasts of New York and New Jersey, a critical move for the sector to reach federal and state targets for offshore wind development by the end of the decade. The leases from the auction, set […]
Major climate disasters cost the U.S. economy more than $145 billion last year, according to data released Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today. The following is a statement from Bob Keefe, executive director of the national nonpartisan business group E2: “Climate change is killing our economy – and this new data […]
Driven by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis, Colorado experienced its first decline in clean energy jobs in 2020 since E2 began tracking the industry with this methodology in 2017. Colorado’s clean energy economy employed more than 58,000 workers at the end of 2020, down from 62,400 the year before, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data and the findings of a national survey of more than 35,000 businesses across the U.S. economy.
By May of last year, more than 7,500 clean energy workers in Colorado had lost their jobs since the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading widely, according to monthly analysis of unemployment data by E2 and partners.2 Since the sector’s losses peaked at the end of May 2020, jobs grew back by 6 percent. In fact, by the end of 2020 more than about 40 percent of the clean energy jobs lost between March and May had been regained, leaving the sector down about 7 percent (about 4,200 jobs) since COVID-19.
Thanks to smart state climate policy leadership, Colorado’s clean energy economy has proven to be a core part of the state’s economy—representing more than 2 percent of overall state employment. It has been resilient and robust in the face of crushing economy-wide pressures.
| Energy Efficiency | 32,595 |
| Renewables | 17,324 |
| Clean Vehicles | 3,392 |
| Storage and Grid | 2,912 |
| Clean Fuels | 1,959 |
| TOTAL | 58,182 |
Colorado’s landmark bill that passed and became law in 2019, Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution (HB19-1261),4 and was strengthened during the 2021 legislative session, requires the state to reduce 2025 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26 percent, 2030 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent and 2050 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90 percent of the levels of statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that existed in 2005. In 2021, HB21-1266 defines disproportionately impacted communities, requires engagement of those communities, and creates staffing, task forces, and boards focused on addressing environmental justice. These two laws inform how agencies are required to meet the GHG reduction goals, in with equity and justice at the forefront.
Several agency commissions are continuing to promulgate rules. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is developing rules to affect utilities that provide retail electricity. The Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) is developing rules to curb emissions in the oil and gas sector and together with the Colorado Department of Transportation Commission are designing rules to electrify transportation, increase transit, walking and biking options, and reduce individual Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT).
The 2022 legislative session should continue to address GHG emissions, as well as reduce waste, improve recycling, support renewable energy and regional transmission, improve monitoring emissions of oil and gas operations, and other policies in support of the environment and the clean economy.
This is the fourth annual Clean Jobs Colorado report produced by E2 based on analysis of the USEER, which was first released by the DOE in 2016. E2 was an original proponent of the DOE producing the USEER and was a partner on the reports produced by the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) and National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) after the Trump administration abandoned it in 2017.
For additional insight into E2’s Clean Jobs Colorado or our other annual clean energy economic reports, visit e2.org/reports.
An FAQ is available at e2.org/reports/clean-jobs-america-faq.
Clean Jobs Colorado 2021 is the 5th clean energy jobs report for California from E2. Previous reports can be accessed in the below links.
More than 40% of jobs lost from pandemic crisis recovered by last January DENVER (December 13, 2021) – More than 58,000 clean energy workers are employed in Colorado across every county after the sector surged 6 percent in the second half of 2020. That’s according to a new analysis of employment data released today by […]
The Build Back Better Act will invest in clean energy, clean vehicles, research and development and other critical climate programs.
It will create millions of jobs, drive billions in investments, and help ensure America is competitive with the rest of the world — all while reducing US emissions and addressing climate change.
WASHINGTON, DC – The reconciliation package passed out of the House on Thursday by a vote 220-213, advancing the core of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda to the Senate. Statement from Sandra Purohit, director of federal advocacy for E2: “Today the House delivered for our economy, our workers, and our communities and we are […]
WASHINGTON, DC – The core of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda is set up for a vote in Congress in the House as early as tonight. If passed and signed into law, the Build Back Better Act would represent the largest federal investment in the economy and combatting climate change. Statement from Sandra Purohit, […]
Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District in Lexington currently hosts 4,760 clean energy jobs according to a new national report by a nonpartisan group advocating for more investment. E2, which bills itself as a business group advocating for policies both beneficial to the economy and the environment, released the study on Monday to show there’s nearly as […]
Data shows “there’s nothing partisan or political about clean energy jobs.” WASHINGTON (November 1, 2021) – As Congress prepares to vote on the biggest U.S. investments ever in clean energy and the COP26 international climate summit begins in Scotland, a new analysis shows that America’s more than 3 million clean energy jobs are nearly evenly […]
The nation’s more than 3 million clean-energy jobs are nearly evenly split across Republican and Democratic congressional districts, new research out Monday shows. Nonprofit E2, which tracks clean-energy initiatives, particularly jobs in renewable energy, electric-vehicle manufacturing and electric-grid modernization, conducted the research with outside firm BW Research. Democratic-led districts make up 54.3%, while Republican-led districts account for […]
Clean energy is a critical job creator in every state – employing 1 in every 50 American workers. More Americans today work in clean energy than as lawyers, police officers, farmers, firefighters, kindergarten teachers, and mail carriers combined.
Clean Jobs America 2021 | Clean Energy Jobs By U.S. Congressional Districts is a new searchable database of U.S. employment across clean energy sectors (renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean vehicles, clean fuels, and storage and grid modernization) across all 435 U.S. congressional districts.
435 Districts Are Home To Clean Energy Jobs
432 Districts Have >1,000 clean energy jobs
388 Districts Have >3,000 clean energy jobs
279 Districts Have >5,000 clean energy jobs
79 Districts Have >10,000 clean energy jobs
Residential Density
Suburban: 39.7% (1,211,306 clean energy job)
Rural or mostly rural: 38.6% (1,175,937 jobs)
Urban or mostly urban: 21.7% (661,360 jobs)
Party Affiliation
Democratic-led Districts: 54.3% (1,655,244 clean energy jobs)
Republican-led Districts: 44.9% (1,368,040 jobs)
Vacant Districts: 0.8% (25,320 jobs)
Top Districts by Total Clean Energy Jobs
| State | Current Rep | Total Clean Energy Jobs |
| Calif. | Ro Khanna (D) | 33,109 |
| Calif. | Nancy Pelosi (D) | 32,414 |
| Texas | Dan Crenshaw (R) | 21,558 |
| Utah | John Curtis (R) | 21,285 |
| Calif. | Katie Porter D) | 19,813 |
| Colo. | Diana DeGette (D) | 18,637 |
| Ariz. | David Schweikert (R) | 17,989 |
| Calif. | Jared Huffman (D) | 17,900 |
| Ill. | Danny K. Davis (D) | 17,643 |
| Calif. | Mark DeSaulnier (D) | 17,275 |
Download the complete report and explore the national map at at this link.
The analysis expands on Clean Jobs America 2021 and is based on preliminary employment data collected and analyzed by BW Research Partnership for the 2021 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) released by the Department of Energy (DOE). The USEER analyzes data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) to track employment across many energy production, transmission, and distribution subsectors. For more information on the methodology click here
Job Density
Clean energy job density calculations for congressional districts used the U.S. Census Bureau 2019 County Business Patterns and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2020 Q4 QCEW employment data, analyzed and extrapolated by BW Research.
Residential Clusters
This report uses the CityLab Congressional Density Index (CDI) by David Montgomery to define congressional district residential clusters. Methodology for the CDI is available here. To condense the definitions into three categpories, this analysis combines:
What Jobs We Include
This analysis defines clean energy employment as jobs in solar energy, wind energy, combined heat and power, bioenergy, non-woody biomass, low-impact hydro power, geothermal, clean vehicle technologies, clean energy storage, smart grid, micro grid, grid modernization, advanced biofuels, and energy efficiency including ENERGYSTAR and high efficiency appliances, efficient lighting, HVAC, renewable heating and cooling, and advanced building materials. Jobs in retail trade, repair services, water or waste management, and indirect employment or induced employment are not included.
Note On Geographic Distribution Of Employment Numbers
District level jobs figures use zip codes to assign jobs to a primary geography. Because zip codes and state district boundaries do not correspond exactly, many zip codes span multiple districts while the jobs linked to them can only be assigned to one. Research relied on multiple public datasets to assign jobs for consistent accuracy, but these numbers inherently have a larger margin of error than state and county findings.
View Report »WASHINGTON, DC (October 28, 2021) – The White House and congressional negotiators today unveiled the framework for the budget reconciliation package to be passed alongside the bipartisan infrastructure legislation and implement the core of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. Statement from Bob Keefe, E2 Executive Director: “Our economy, our workforce, and our planet have […]