E2: President, Congress should seize on recent progress to make America stronger, more competitive again
WASHINGTON – Today, Donald Trump becomes the 47th president, retaking the presidency with the strongest clean energy economy in U.S. history. Since President Trump last held office, the United States added nearly 450,000 clean energy jobs while companies in just the last two years have announced more than $130 billion to build over 360 new large-scale clean energy projects in the U.S.
The following is a statement from Bob Keefe, executive director of the national, nonpartisan business group E2:
“President Trump retakes the presidency today with America at the advent of an economic revolution the likes of which we haven’t seen in generations.
“Our clean economy today is bigger, stronger, more robust – and more important – than the last time he was in office. He and the new Congress should seize the opportunity to capitalize on the tremendous growth we’ve seen since then to make America even greater and more competitive in the global marketplace for clean energy goods – a marketplace now dominated by China and a few other countries.
“Now’s the time to put partisanship and politics aside and work together to continue to bring back even more manufacturing jobs for goods such as solar, batteries, electric vehicles and wind energy equipment; to make electricity even cheaper for consumers – and to make America even stronger and more secure.”
According to E2’s analysis, President Trump enters the White House with the largest clean energy workforce in U.S. history— now employing nearly 3.5 million Americans —just as tax policies for clean energy projects are beginning to create even more jobs and reap other major economic benefits for communities across the country.
In addition, through December, private industry has announced 362 large-scale clean energy projects, with companies committing to investing at least $132 billion to build these projects and hiring 116,000 workers once up and running. More nearly 62 percent of all projects announced—along with 71 percent of all jobs and 83 percent of all investments announced in connection with projects—are in congressional districts represented by Republicans in the 119th Congress.
To speak with E2 staff and our member business leaders in states across the country, please contact Alex Frank—(703) 276-3264, [email protected] or Michael Timberlake—(913) 645-9103, [email protected].
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
For nearly a decade, E2 has produced and tracked data on the clean economy with more detail than any other organization in the country. Our reports give a concise and comprehensive picture of clean energy jobs and projects by sector (including solar, wind, energy efficiency, clean vehicles) and down to the state, county, and metro level. Including:
- Survey of U.S Business Leaders: Businesses on Impact of Arrested Ira Investments
-
- In a recent national survey by E2 and partners of more than 900 clean energy businesses, the majority said they would lose business if Congress and President Trump follow through with the types of policy rollbacks they’ve said they’re planning. More than 20 percent of business respondents said they’d have to lay off employees; about 10 percent said they’d go out of business completely or would move to another country.
- Monthly Clean Energy Projects Tracker: Clean Economy Works
-
- Over the last 30 months, E2 has tracked 362 new large-scale projects announced by businesses across 41 states and Puerto Rico. Those announcements include commitments by companies to invest more than $132 billion and create more than 116,000 new jobs. Notably, the vast majority of this investment capital – some 83 percent – is going to congressional districts represented by Republicans.
- Broader Economic Impacts: Economic Impact Of New Private-Sector Projects
-
- A full economic impact analysis of recently announced projects found the projects would add $238 billion to U.S. GDP, support 467,000 jobs, and generate $170 billion in wages during construction alone. Tens of thousands more jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars in new wages, tax revenue, and economic growthwould be generated every year while the projects are operating.
- Clean Energy Jobs: Clean Jobs America 2024
-
- E2 has tracked clean energy employment for nearly a decade utilizing federal government data. Our 2024 Clean Jobs America report details the nation’s 3.5 million jobs across all clean energy sectors as of Q4 2023 (the most recent available data). The report— broken down by state, county, metro, sector, and technology— is available via interactive maps and in data tables at cleanjobsamerica.e2.org
- Clean Energy Wages: Clean Jobs, Better Jobs
- Our first-of-its-kind report in 2020 details how clean energy jobs pay 25% better than the national median wage (including the majority of fossil fuel jobs), have higher unionization rates than the rest of the private sector, and are more likely to come with retirement and healthcare benefits. The analysis also includes data for every state and for 15 specific clean-energy occupations
For more information, please contact Michael Timberlake at (202) 289-2407 or [email protected].
###
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 Bluesky at @e2org.bsky.social and on X/Twitter at @e2org