Wind, solar, and other clean energy jobs rebounded in late 2020 from devastating losses stemming from Covid-19, but the sector has roughly 300,000 fewer jobs than it did before the pandemic, according to a Monday report
Clean energy sees first recorded drop in overall jobs, yet policies hold promise for unparalleled growth in years ahead Sector recovered 300,000 jobs since unemployment peaked in Q2 Clean vehicles and wind energy finish year in the positive, despite early losses WASHINGTON, DC – Clean energy jobs surged nearly 11 percent in the second half […]
In 2020, the number of clean energy jobs in America fell for the first time since E2 began tracking nationwide employment across the entire clean energy sector in 2015. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic contraction and the lingering impacts of policies from the previous administration that encouraged fossil fuels over clean energy, nearly 307,000 jobs were lost in wind, solar, energy efficiency and other clean energy sectors.
About 3 million Americans worked in clean energy at the end of 2020, down from 3.36 million the year before, according to the analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data and the findings of a national survey of more than 30,000 businesses across the U.S. economy.
Despite the overall decline, clean energy remains the biggest job creator across America’s energy sector, employing nearly three times as many workers as work in fossil fuel extraction and generation. More Americans still work in clean energy than work as middle and elementary school teachers, bankers, farmers or real estate agents. Median hourly wages for clean energy jobs also are about 25 percent higher than the national median wage, and also pay better than most fossil fuel extraction jobs (See Clean Energy Wages And Making Good Jobs Even Better sidebar on page 5).
California, Texas, New York and Florida remain the nation’s leaders for clean energy jobs, but smaller states such as Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan and Ohio all employed more than 100,000 clean energy workers each at the end of last year.
| Total Clean Energy | 3,048,603 |
| Renewable Energy | 492,891 |
| Grid & Storage | 137,872 |
| Energy Efficiency | 2,107,174 |
| Clean Fuels | 37,036 |
| Clean Vehicles | 273,630 |
This is the sixth annual Clean Jobs America 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.
If you are looking for additional insight into E2’s Clean Jobs America 2021 or our other clean energy employment reports, visit e2.org/reports. An FAQ is also available here to answer any questions.
Clean Jobs America 2021 is the 6th national clean energy jobs report from E2. Previous reports can be accessed in the below links.
Letter signed by 388 business executives, entrepreneurs, and investors says bold target would send right signal to drive growth As the Biden administration prepares for its April 22 international Leaders Summit on Climate, nearly 400 business leaders from across the U.S. on Monday called on President Joe Biden and his administration to commit to a […]
As innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, business owners and other professionals, we reject the idea that at least a 50% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 is unattainable or harmful to business. That’s because we know first-hand the power of American innovation and the ability of American companies and workers to get the job done – as […]
Before the coronavirus pandemic began, there were 3.4 million Americans employed in the clean energy sector, according to a 2020 report from Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a non-partisan group of business leaders. Many of the new jobs in the pipeline will be to install EV chargers, retrofit buildings and upgrade transmission capacity.
On April 22, the Biden administration will host a gathering of international leaders, the first since reaffirming the U.S. commitment to global climate action. As part of the Global Leaders’ Climate Summit, the United States is also expected to announce new greenhouse gas emissions targets, as well as new climate finance programs – both of […]
A study commissioned by E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), the American Council on Renewable Energy and the Clean Energy Leadership Institute found that in 2019, more than 3.3 million Americans worked in clean energy jobs – renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean vehicles and fuels – nearly three times the number in fossil fuels. Last year’s pandemic-triggered economic […]
An electrician who spent 20 years working on transmission lines for coal-fired power plants will be in high demand when building infrastructure for renewable energy projects, and those tend to be union jobs, said Bob Keefe, executive director of E2, a nonpartisan group that advocates for policies that serve the economy and the environment. Clean-energy […]
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According to a report by E2, energy efficiency has historically been the biggest, fastest-growing energy sector in the US, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of our job-creation potential. Bolstered by RGGI proceeds, energy efficiency has the capacity to power Pennsylvania’s economic recovery even as it reduces emissions and cleans our air
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