The number of people now working in clean energy industries in Indiana is 47,720, a more than 8 percent increase since 2015, according to an analysis released today by Clean Energy Trust (CET) and the national nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Job growth across sectors including renewable energy generation, advanced grid, energy efficiency, clean fuels, and advanced transportation is occurring almost five times faster than overall job growth in the state.
The analysis – available at www.CleanJobsMidwest.com – is based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and a comprehensive survey of thousands of businesses across the region conducted by BW Research Partners. The Clean Jobs Midwest report provides detailed breakdowns of clean energy jobs – including job totals for every county, congressional district, and state legislative district in the 12-state Midwest region of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. There are a total of 599,775 employed in clean energy in the entire region.
Indiana’s clean energy workforce employs almost eight times as many people than all the computer programmers and web developers in the state, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“The Midwest has witnessed declining manufacturing employment over the years and this report highlights the important role of clean energy jobs in filling the gap for the region’s workforce,” said Erik G. Birkerts, CEO of Clean Energy Trust. “We’re optimistic that this growth engine can continue unabated as the Midwest continues to prove it is a fertile region for clean energy innovation, enabling businesses to launch, grow and create jobs.”
“States are leading the clean energy revolution in America,” said Bob Keefe, E2’s Executive Director. “The Midwest has quickly become a clean energy job hub, with every state seeing job growth. This is the result of pioneering businesses aided by smart state and federal policies. Policymakers must incentivize clean energy development and job creation to ensure America doesn’t fall behind global competitors.”
“Inovateus Solar is proud to call Indiana home and see the opportunities for clean energy job creation in every part of the state,” said TJ Kanczuzewski, president and chief executive officer whose company has developed and built more than 315 MW of commercial, industrial, and government solar projects in 16 states and the Caribbean. “Strong policies provide certainty for all businesses and clean energy business is no different. Recent decisions on net-metering in the state could present a set-back for all the growth in solar jobs for Hoosiers.”
The CET/E2 report includes clean energy sector comparisons for each state across the Midwest region. Energy efficiency continues to be the largest energy employer in Indiana, accounting for 38,453 jobs including hardware and software implementers, people working on high efficiency heating and cooling systems, and system technicians. The biggest job growth occurred in the renewable energy sector. Jobs in wind, solar, geothermal, bioenergy, and low-impact hydroelectric power grew by almost 44 percent, by far the highest jump in the region. There are 3,185 solar workers in the state and 1,739 workers employed in wind generation.
For the state of Indiana, the report also found:
- 3,316 Hoosiers are employed in the advanced transportation industry. This includes hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles, alternative fuels vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles.
- 43 percent of all clean energy jobs were in construction—20,659 jobs. Manufacturing accounted for 16,571 more jobs—almost 35 percent of all clean energy jobs.
- The clean fuels and advanced grid sectors employ 326 and 68 workers respectively.
2016 Department of Energy data shows that there are more than three million clean energy workers across the country. For a fact sheet outlining more specifics about the national clean energy jobs landscape, view E2’s fact sheet.
The report includes an interactive map and profiles of Midwestern clean energy workers.
