3 Million Clean Jobs in 2012
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March 19, 20138 Solar Stories
March 20, 2013Clean Jobs
More than 3 million clean jobs were available across the United States in 2012, according to new research from Ecotech Institute. The first-ever “Clean Jobs Index” aggregates all clean jobs nationwide. Ecotech Institute defines clean jobs as “jobs in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources.”
Jobs focused on making a business or organization’s production process more eco-friendly are also included.
California led the nation in clean job postings in 2012 with 374,276 openings. Texas, New York and Illinois were also among the top clean job states. On a per capita basis, Alaska, North Dakota, Iowa and Delaware led the way.
Ecotech Institute is a Denver, Colorado-area college entirely focused on careers in renewable energy and sustainability. The institute offers associates degrees in Solar Energy Technology, Wind Energy Technology, Energy Efficiency, Power Utility Technician and more.
Renewable, Solar Industry Job Growth Surged in 2012
Few industries created as many jobs in 2012 as the solar sector. According to the Solar Jobs Census, published in November 2012 by The Solar Foundation, the solar industry employed nearly 120,000 Americans in 2012 and was projected to grow by 17 percent in 2013.
Finding qualified workers for the solar industry and renewable energy jobs is difficult, despite the sluggish jobs market. There are too few qualified workers to fill the jobs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency fields, according to a 2011 survey by the Association of Energy Engineers.
Renewable energy production has been surging in some states. On an average, renewable energy makes up 14% of total energy production. Idaho led the nation with 85% of its energy production coming from renewable in 2012. Washington, South Dakota and Oregon all produced more than 60% of their energy from renewable sources.
Read more about Pros and Cons of Renewable Energy.
This article is written by Ryan McNeill is president of Renewable Energy Corporation, a Maryland solar panel installer. He has written for the American Solar Energy Society, Sustainablog, and other publications covering the renewable energy industry.