State set to determine new clean vehicle standards this week
ALBUQUERQUE – New Mexico is the fifth fastest-growing state for clean energy jobs as the state’s workforce increased 6 percent in 2022 to support nearly 12,700 workers or about 1 out of every 5 energy jobs in the state, according to a new analysis released today by the national, nonpartisan business group E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs).
Job growth was driven once again by the clean vehicle jobs sector, which now employs about 1,000 workers and has seen a 32 percent increase in jobs over the last two years. Other high growth clean energy sectors in 2022 included biofuels (18.1 percent), storage and grid modernization (8.2 percent). Overall, New Mexico ranked among the top 5 fastest-growing states for clean energy jobs for the second straight year and the sector’s jobs have grown nearly 13 percent over the past two years.
Clean Jobs New Mexico 2023 comes as the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and the City of Albuquerque are set to hold joint public hearings this week to determine if the state will adopt the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACCII) and Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rules. Nine states– California, Maryland, Vermont, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York—have already adopted the ACCII standards and another six states are currently considering adopting the strengthened standard. Eight states have adopted the ACT rules.
Overall, energy efficiency remained the state’s largest employer of clean energy workers with more than 6,000 followed by renewable generation and clean vehicles 4,700 and 1,000 workers respectively.
Susan Nedell, E2 Mountain West Advocate said:
“This report shows that clean vehicles and clean vehicle standards would be a boon to New Mexico’s economy. With the state’s gas and diesel vehicle sector shedding jobs, the smartest economic policy would embrace New Mexico’s booming clean vehicle sector so it can compete with the rest of the country for future automaker investments and projects and expand jobs in the state.”
Jim DesJardins, NM-REIA Executive Director said:
“We believe there are tremendous opportunities in the transportation sector to transition to electric vehicles and trucks now, in support of the Advanced Clean Cars and Advanced Clean Trucks rules. By adopting these standards, it will enable job creation and economic development in the clean economy. As new technologies have become available, our organization has expanded our focus to include the built environment and transportation.”
New Mexico has seen an influx of electric vehicle investment over the past year, driven by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022. The state is one of 21 states with at least 5 major clean energy projects announced since the bill’s passage, and companies in the electric vehicle and battery sector have announced $130 million in investments so far according to E2’s tracking.
More detailed findings of clean energy jobs for all 50 states and the District of Columbia – including job totals for every county and metro, industry and technology breakdowns are available through E2’s interactive map at cleanjobsamerica.e2.org.
Other Highlights
- 6,200 clean energy jobs in New Mexico are in construction.
- 6% growth in clean energy jobs since 2021.
- New Mexico is the #2 fastest-growing state for energy efficiency jobs.
- The fastest-growing clean energy job sectors last year were biofuels (18 percent) followed by storage and grid modernization (8 percent) and clean vehicles (7.5 percent)
- Los Alamos (52 percent), Quay (44 percent) and Rio Arriba counties (25 percent) led the state in year over year job growth.
- Union (47 jobs per 1,000), Quay led the state in in clean energy job density with 47 and 33 clean energy jobs respectively per 1,000 overall county jobs.
- Over 4,400 workers are employed in the solar and wind industries in New Mexico.
Additional Resources
- E2: Clean Jobs America 2023 | Interactive Jobs Map & Full Data Tables
- E2: Clean Economy Works | An Economic Impact Analysis of Major Clean Energy Projects Announced In Year One of the Inflation Reduction Act
- E2: Clean Economy Works | IRA One-Year Review
- Department of Energy: S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER)
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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 manage more than $100 billion in venture and private equity capital. For more information, see www.e2.org or follow us on Twitter at @e2org.
REIA-NM Mission: To support, promote and advance the transition to renewable energy in New Mexico. REIA-NM is an affiliate of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).