The 2022 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on June 28th conveyed dramatic job growth across the clean energy sector. This report is a comprehensive study that tracks employment trends across the energy sector and within key energy technologies.
U.S. energy sector employment growth increased 4% from 2020 to 2021, outpacing overall U.S. employment growth, which was 2.8% in the same period. The total number of energy jobs increased from 7.5 million in 2020 to over 7.8 million in 2021.
The electric vehicle industry was one of the standout sectors of 2021. Motor vehicle and component parts manufacturing saw a 9.8% annual gain, with 228,000 jobs added. 65,000 of the total job growth was from hybrid electric, battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing.
About 3.1 million of the total energy sector jobs are in net-zero aligned industries, related to renewable energy, grid technologies, transmission and distribution, energy storage, nuclear energy, biofuels, energy efficient and electric vehicles, making up 41% of total energy jobs.
“Amidst the unique challenges of a nation coming out of a global pandemic, America’s energy sector stands out with considerable job growth across nearly all industries,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. “Jobs critical to our clean energy transition are on the rise and poised for continued expansion.”
Continuing to add these kinds of jobs is critical for advancing the U.S.’s clean energy goals and will boost our economic competitiveness. Clean energy jobs also offer higher wages than the national average and are accessible to workers without four-year degrees.
Another interesting takeaway from this report was how state-level job growth paralleled climate policy strength. Michigan, for example, saw employment progression powered by motor vehicle growth, adding 35,500 new energy jobs. In 2020, Michigan Governor Whitmer established a net zero by 2050 goal with dramatic electric vehicle infrastructure investments. California’s energy job growth also paralleled the state’s zero-emission vehicle target.
Looking to the future, the importance of clean energy technologies will only increase. Through 2030, wind turbine technicians and solar PV installers are predicted to be two of the fastest-growing occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
So, will expanded federal climate policies be the key to furthering job growth? Job creation depends on the Senate passing proposed reconciliation legislation, demonstrating how important policy is as a key determinant of the U.S.’s clean energy transition.
Clear climate policies from federal and state governments – emission reduction, incentives, infrastructure investments – will help advance clean energy goals and keep our economy growing.
