Ecotech’s Clean Jobs Index: Renewable Energy Jobs up 16 Percent

Ecotech Institute’s Clean Jobs Index found more than 1.47 million jobs in the renewable energy sector at the end of 2015’s second quarter, an increase of 16 percent over Q2 2014. That’s more than four times the number of computer programmers working today. The Clean Jobs Index classifies clean energy jobs based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics description, which says that a clean job is part of a business that benefits the environment or conserves natural resources.

Ecotech Institute, the first and only college in the U.S. solely focused on renewable energy jobs and sustainability, created the Clean Jobs Index to provide objective information about renewable energy jobs and to compare states’ use and development of clean and sustainable energy.

“Many states recognize consumer demand for clean energy and its benefits,” says Chris Gorrie, Ecotech Institute’s president. “We’re seeing more than a 100 percent increase in renewable energy jobs in some states, and not just in one region. Clean job opportunities are available in the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, the North and the South. Our students are finding opportunities all over the country.”

Highlights from Ecotech Institute’s Q2 2015 Clean Jobs Index:

• Number of U.S. clean jobs in Q2 2015:
  More than 1.47 million

• Biggest gains in clean job openings by state:
  Washington – 117 percent
  Arizona – 62 percent
  Oregon – 54 percent
  Alabama – 53 percent
  New York – 45 percent

When looking into the third quarter, a similar trend is seen. In fact, Ecotech Institute’s Clean Job Index found that job growth exploded in July 2015 with a 104 percent increase over July 2014.

Ecotech Institute’s Clean Jobs Index is an aggregation of statistics by state. Although it may indicate a greater possibility for employment in the clean economy sector, the Clean Jobs Index in no way indicates the presence or the promise of any specific job opportunities. Data for the Index is gathered regularly from independent research entities, including American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Green Building Council.