New York’s clean energy economy grew 3.6 percent and added nearly 6,000 new workers in 2022. Clean energy now accounts for over 50 percent of all energy industry jobs in New York. The state’s 166,014-person clean energy workforce is the third largest nationally, behind California and Texas.
Summary
- RENEWABLE ENERGY: Renewable generation grew 6.2 percent and added over 1,000 jobs in 2022, led by jobs in solar energy (14,200) and wind energy (4,300). The sector is the second fastest growing clean energy sector over the previous two years (17%), behind only clean vehicles.
- ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Energy efficiency is New York’s largest energy sector with 126,000 workers. However, the sector has not yet recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and remains just below its pre-pandemic high of 126,700.=
- STORAGE AND GRID MODERNIZATION: Jobs in battery, storage, and grid modernization grew 8.3 percent in 2022. This sector has grown more than 15 percent since 2021. At 4,600 workers, the state’s storage and grid sector is the eighth largest in the nation.
- CLEAN VEHICLES: Clean vehicle jobs are the fastest growing workforce in New York’s entire energy industry, growing 20 percent in 2022 and over 50 percent since 2021. At nearly 13,000 workers statewide, New York has the eighth largest clean vehicle workforce in the nation.
- BIOFUELS: New York has the third largest biofuels workforce in the U.S., at 1,700. Biofuel jobs increased 3.2 percent in 2022 and over 9 percent since 2021.
Previous Reports
Clean Jobs New York 2023 is the 2nd standalone clean energy jobs report for New York from E2. E2 has tracked Clean Energy jobs in the state since 2015, but has not done a standalone factsheet or report since 2016. The 2016 report can be accessed in the below link.
Background
This is the second Clean Jobs New York 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 York or our other annual clean energy economic reports, visit e2.org/reports.
An FAQ is available at e2.org/reports/clean-jobs-america-faq.