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North Carolina ranks 9th for clean energy jobs -
Clean energy added jobs more than 50 percent faster than overall NC economy
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Storage and grid modernization jobs grew 10 percent in 2023
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1,100 new manufacturing jobs added
Raleigh, NC – Clean energy and clean vehicle companies added more than 4,400 jobs in North Carolina, bringing the total number of clean energy workers in the state to almost 110,000 according to the sixth annual Clean Jobs North Carolina analysis released today by the national, nonpartisan business group E2 and the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA).
Boosted by nearly two dozen large-scale clean energy projects announced across North Carolina since the passage of the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and HB 951, clean energy jobs in the state grew 4.2 percent last year – more than 50 percent faster than economy-wide jobs in North Carolina, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The growth in clean energy jobs included 1,176 new manufacturing jobs and 2,479 new jobs in energy efficiency.
North Carolina ranked 9th among all 50 states for clean energy jobs. Energy efficiency remains the top overall clean energy employer with over 80,800 workers, followed by renewable energy (13,579 jobs) and clean vehicles (9,522 jobs). The majority of the state’s clean energy workers are employed in construction and professional services.
Home to more than 31,542 of the state’s clean energy workers, the Charlotte metro area ranked 23rd among all U.S. metro areas for most clean energy jobs. The Raleigh metro area (with 18,750 clean energy jobs) ranked 39th.
Zach Amittay, southeast advocate for E2 said:
“North Carolina’s clean energy economy continues to distinguish itself as an engine of jobs and economic opportunity par excellence. And with the historic policies and incentives created by the IRA beginning to take hold, we will continue to see clean energy powering an American economic revolution, with workers and businesses across North Carolina benefiting.”
Matt Abele, executive director at NCSEA said:
“These numbers highlight the significant role clean energy plays in North Carolina’s economy, from the mountains to the coast. Our skilled workforce, bipartisan policy support, and thriving ecosystem of clean energy companies make North Carolina a prime location for continued investment and deployment of clean energy technologies. As the country continues to build out a domestic supply chain for clean energy, rural and urban counties all across the state of North Carolina will be central to that growth.”
Nationally, U.S. clean energy jobs outpaced overall economy wide job growth by 200 percent, adding almost 150,000 jobs for a total of 3.46 million.
For a copy of the Clean Jobs North Carolina 2024 report to dive deeper into the data including subsector data such as solar and electric vehicle jobs and explore jobs down to the state, county, and metro levels, visit https://e2.org/reports/clean-jobs-nc-2024/. Interactive maps of clean energy jobs data, including for every U.S. state and county, are available at cleanjobsamerica.e2.org/
Methodology
This analysis of U.S. clean energy employment is based on employment data collected and analyzed by the BW Research Partnership for the 2024 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER). 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. In addition, the 2023 USEER relies on a unique supplemental survey of 42,000 business representatives across the United States. Created and conducted by BW Research, the methodology has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This survey is used to identify energy-related employment within key subsectors of the broader industries as classified by the BLS and to assign them into their component energy and energy efficiency sectors.
Other Resources
- Clean Jobs America 2024 State & County Maps: e2.org/
- Inflation Reduction Act Year-Two Review: In the IRA’s first two years, E2 tracked 334 major clean energy projects encompassing nearly $126 billion in private sector development. Notably, the vast majority of this investment capital – some 85 percent – went to congressional districts represented by Republicans, despite the fact not a single Republican member of congress voted for the law.
- Clean Economy Works: More details plus an interactive map of each of these projects shows what’s trending in America’s booming clean economy.
- Clean Economy NOW: Stories from the Frontlines of an American Business Revolution: Author, former journalist and E2 Executive Director Bob Keefe’s recently released book includes fresh insider information about the passage of the landmark IRA legislation two years ago; stories of communities and people being impacted by the legislation today and what it all means for politics, the planet and our future.
To connect with clean energy business leaders who come from every corner of North Carolina, please contact E2 communications director Michael Timberlake at mtimberlake@e2.org.
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Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is a national, nonpartisan group of business leaders, investors, and professionals from every sector of the economy who advocate for smart policies that are good for the economy and good for the environment. Our members have founded or funded more than 2,500 companies, created more than 600,000 jobs, and managed more than $100 billion in venture and private equity capital. For more information, see www.e2.org or follow us on Twitter at @e2org.
North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) is the leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that drives public policy and market development for clean energy. Our work enables clean energy jobs, economic opportunities, and affordable energy options for North Carolinians. Learn more about NCSEA, our mission, and our vision at www.energync.org.