New Mexico is tied for #3 nationally in clean energy jobs growth, #1 in in energy efficiency jobs- Clean energy added jobs 2.5X faster than rest of New Mexico economy
NEW MEXICO – Clean energy and clean vehicle companies added more than 770 jobs in New Mexico, bringing the total number of clean energy workers in the state to almost more than 13,000 according to the fourth annual Clean Jobs New Mexico analysis released today by the national, nonpartisan business group E2 and partner Renewable Energy Industry Association of New Mexico.
Boosted by nearly $2 billion in private investments to build new large-scale clean energy projects across New Mexico since the passage of the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Clean energy jobs in the state grew 6.1 percent last year – more than 2.5 times faster than economy-wide jobs in New Mexico, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Clean energy sectors accounted for more than nineteen percent of all new energy industry jobs added in New Mexico in 2023.
Nationally, New Mexico now ranks first among all 50 states and the District of Columbia for growth in energy efficiency jobs (7 percent) and tied for 3rd in overall clean energy jobs growth. Energy efficiency remains the top overall clean energy employer with nearly 6,500 workers, followed by renewable energy (4,900) and clean vehicles (1,073 jobs). The majority of the state’s clean energy workers are employed in construction and professional services.
For metro areas, Albuquerque had the most clean energy jobs in the state (7,295), followed by Santa Fe (1,149) and Las Cruces (1,052). Bernalillo leads the counties with the most clean energy jobs (6,606). About 23 percent of the state’s clean energy workers (3,094 jobs) are in rural or nonmetropolitan areas.
To learn more about the breakdown of clean energy jobs around the United States, please visit E2’s interactive map at cleanjobsamerica.e2.org. This will provide additional insight into industry breakdowns and job totals for counties and metros.
Susan Nedell, E2’s Sr. Western Advocate said:
“The historic policies and incentives created by the IRA are transforming New Mexico’s clean energy industry, and workers and businesses in every part of our state are benefiting. This report clearly shows clean energy continues to be an important economic driver for the state, demonstrating the need for continued leadership at the state level to attract even more jobs and investments to New Mexico as the sector grows across the country.”
Jim DesJardins, Executive Director, REIA-NM said:
“New Mexico’s economic growth due to clean energy is a major win for the Mountain West. Solar is an outstanding renewable energy source for states with an abundance of sunshine, like New Mexico. We need to continue to foster collaborative efforts between renewable energy companies, state governments, communities and landowners, as we seek to lower our carbon footprint and to create new career opportunities.”
Other Highlights
- New Mexico’s clean vehicle industry has grown 9.5 percent since 2022
- Jobs in grid modernization, battery, and storage grew 6 percent
- Clean fuels grew at a rate of 16.5 percent
- Clean energy accounted for 19.4 percent of all energy jobs in the state
- New Mexico has the most diverse workforce in the country with over 30 percent of clean energy workforce people of color (Asian, black or African American, Native and Indigenous, two or more races) and 21.5 percent Hispanic or Latino.
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.
Additional Resources
- E2: Clean Jobs America 2024 | Interactive Jobs Map and Full Data Tables
- E2: Clean Jobs New Mexico 2023
- Department of Energy: U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER)
- The White House: The IRA and New Mexico
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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.
Renewable Energy Industries Association of New Mexico’s mission is to support, promote and advance the transition to renewable energy in New Mexico. We do this by engaging at the state legislature, Public Regulation Commission and state and local government for policies that are favorable to the renewable energy industry. We were founded in 2004 and presently have over 60 members.