Clean energy currently employs 3.3 million Americans, or one in 50 workers nationwide, according to a report from E2. That’s more than the total number of nurses, cashiers, elementary and middle school teachers, and waiters or waitresses. Jobs in the renewable energy industry also grew by 10% from 2021 to 2023, faster than the growth rate for overall U.S. employment.
However, if you’ve taken a look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) latest jobs report, you would be excused for not knowing about the massive opportunity and growth the clean energy sector represents.
While we’ve seen a host of renewable energy and climate-friendly legislation come out of Washington over the last two years, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which have been widely and rightfully applauded, the monthly jobs report is one area of the federal government’s output that seems to be lagging.
Although monthly jobs reports include some tangentially related industries, such as mining and logging, construction, and utilities, failing to highlight renewable energy as a standalone category is a missed opportunity, due to the outsized impact the field is having on our economy, as well as on the present and future of our everyday lives.
For example, on its list of the fastest-growing occupations in America, the BLS notes that wind turbine service technician is number one, followed by solar photovoltaic installers—ahead of nurse practitioners, information security analysts, medical and health services managers, and a host of other jobs.
The bureau also reports that employment for environmental engineers is projected to grow 7% by 2033, civil engineers by 6%, agricultural engineers by 8%, and electrical power-line installers and repairers by 8%—faster growth rates than the average for all occupations. While these statistics are included in the Bureau’s publicly available monthly reports, they are buried in categories such as Architecture and Engineering; Farming, Fishing, and Forestry; and Installation, Maintenance, and Repair occupations.
With the rapid growth in these jobs, comes the challenge of sustaining the momentum. The solar industry currently has 330,000 workers, and according to the Department of Energy, it needs to grow to 1.5 million workers by 2034 for the U.S. to achieve its decarbonization goals. And that is but one slice of the pie of the clean energy sector. With renewable energy sources set to triple in the next eight years to become responsible for 45% of the total energy generation mix in the U.S., the workforce itself could be one of the few hurdles standing in our way of that exponential growth, and in a worst case scenario, could force a significant slowdown.
Our future is what really drives me and at the same time, often keeps me up at night. I’m passionate about celebrating the game-changers in clean energy who have made the industry into the powerhouse it is today. However, to tackle the increasing effects of climate change, we will need to develop the leaders and game-changers of tomorrow—and there is no time to lose in doing so.
Younger generations, especially Gen Z, must see energy, particularly renewable energy, as a viable career if we have any hope of mitigating and adapting to our changing climate and improving energy resiliency. Maintaining a reliable energy supply and keeping people comfortable and safe are not only public health imperatives but also central to supporting economic activity. The Bureau of Labor Statistics must lead on this issue by tracking and documenting the opportunities available in our industry.
The desire is there. Gen Z professionals regularly tell pollsters they would turn down a job opportunity if their employer didn’t align with their values on environmental and climate issues. Gen Z is looking for meaningful and purposeful work—and clean energy needs to be on their radar. However, there is still work to be done on education and awareness.
By 2034, one in four U.S. workers will be 55 or older, and nearly one in 10 will be over 65, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The “graying” of the workforce is affecting many industries across the country—and the renewable energy industry is no exception.
Clean energy is an industry that allows the people who work within it to do well while doing good (which is also my mantra). Recent research shows that jobs in the renewable energy sector also pay about 21% higher than the average national wage. Some 75% of the expected jobs from IRA investments won’t require four-year degrees, making them more equitable and more accessible to people from a diverse set of socio-economic backgrounds.
Will including clean energy as a category in the monthly jobs report solve all these issues? Of course not, but it is a great first step that will go a long way towards raising awareness of the need, as well as the opportunity, we are facing today.
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