The Growth of Clean Energy Jobs by State

As the world is slowly moving towards a carbon-free future, job prospects within the renewable energy industry will see a boom in the coming years. Ranging from environmental scientists to renewable energy generation technicians and engineers, clean energy jobs are growing.

Between the shuttering of coal plants and companies making efforts to use renewable sources of energy, the United States on its own could see the creation of 5 million net new jobs within the energy-supply sector, driven by clean energy.

These jobs offer a more sustainable and high-paying alternative for the current and new workforce, especially in some of the country’s highly fossil-fuel-dependent states.

Based on analysis presented by Princeton University, the above infographic visualizes the forecasted change in energy-supply jobs in every state from 2019 to 2030 and up until 2050, in a net-zero scenario.

Shift in Energy Supply Jobs by 2030: Texas on the Forefront

Between 2020 and 2021, jobs in the oil and gas sector saw a 9% decline in Texas, a reduction of more than 55,000 in the state. Despite this, Texas is still one of the largest oil and natural gas producers, employing the highest number of people.

A rapid rise in employment in the clean energy industry will compensate for this decline in fossil fuel sector jobs. Texas fossil fuel unions have also signed onto the climate action plan and vowed to create more jobs in the clean energy sector.

In the process, Texas will see nearly 135,000 net new energy-supply jobs by 2030, more than any other state.

Here’s a look at the number of forecasted net new energy-supply jobs in the rest of the country:

Note: Negative values indicate a decline in energy-supply jobs by 2030.

Shift in Energy Supply Jobs by 2050: Wisconsin Advances

Wisconsin has stated its desire to transition to 100% clean energy by 2050, growing the state’s economy by more than $21 billion.

According to Princeton, Wisconsin could also introduce more than 46,000 net new energy-supply jobs by 2050, a tremendous leap over the state’s 863 new jobs forecasted through 2030.

Note: Negative values indicate a decline in energy-supply jobs by 2050.

The state of Wyoming has the second-highest change in energy supply jobs, going from 2,400 jobs by 2030 to nearly 62,000 by 2050. Meanwhile, California, Florida, and Texas will continue their commitment to being leaders and introducing more clean energy-supply jobs by 2050.

The only states that will see a decline in clean energy jobs between their 2030 and 2050 totals are the northeastern states of Connecticut, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.

Most states have taken measures to create more sustainable and high-paying jobs without leaving the current workforce in the lurch. On average, U.S. states will see an increase of 105,000 energy-supply jobs by 2050.

As the states and the country make this transition and federal and private investment in the renewable energy industry increases, it’ll be interesting to keep track of how new clean energy jobs impact the economy.