New Jersey’s clean energy economy grew 6 percent and added over 3,000 new workers in 2022. Clean energy grew 2.5 times faster than the overall state economy and was the 4th fastest growing clean energy workforce in the nation.
Summary
- ENERGY EFFICIENCY:Energy efficiency is New Jersey’s largest energy sector. With 36,332 workers employed, New Jersey has the fourth largest energy efficiency workforce in the U.S. However, the sector has ample opportunity for growth as employment numbers are still well below pre-pandemic highs of almost 38,000 workers employed.
- RENEWABLE GENERATION: Renewable generation grew 4.2 percent in 2022, led by increased jobs in solar energy (8,781). Nationally, New Jersey has the 11th largest renewable generation workforce in the nation with almost 12,000 employed.
- STORAGE AND GRID MODERNIZATION: Jobs in battery storage and grid modernization grew 8.5 percent in 2022 and have grown more than 15 percent since 2021.
- CLEAN VEHICLES: Clean vehicle jobs are the fastest growing workforce in New Jersey’s entire energy industry, growing over 15 percent in 2022 and 40 percent since 2021. At nearly 6,000 workers statewide, New Jersey is 9th in the nation for the fastest growing clean vehicle workforce.
- BIOFUELS: New Jersey’s biofuel jobs increased by 10.2 percent in 2022 and is the second fastest growing clean energy sector in the Garden state.
Other Clean Jobs Reports
Clean Jobs New Jersey 2023 is the first standalone clean energy jobs report for New Jersey since 2019 from E2. Previous 2023 clean energy employment reports can be accessed in the below links.
Background
This is the first Clean Jobs New Jersey report produced by E2. The 2023 report is based on analysis of the 2023 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER), which was first released by the Department of Energy (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. For methodology questions, see pages 201-206 of the 2023 USEER.
For additional insight into E2’s Clean Jobs New Jersey or our other annual clean energy economic reports, visit e2.org/reports.
An FAQ is available at e2.org/reports/clean-jobs-america-faq.