Despite economic headwinds, America’s energy efficiency sector is booming. Nearly 2.3 million Americans now cash paychecks from jobs making buildings, appliances, and systems less wasteful. That’s a 4% jump from last year—triple the growth rate of the overall economy. Not too shabby.
America’s efficiency job market is defying economic gravity, growing three times faster than the broader economy. Now that’s momentum.
These aren’t just jobs in coastal elite cities. They’re literally everywhere. Energy efficiency workers punch clocks in 99.9% of U.S. counties. Rural areas, suburbs, cities—doesn’t matter. If there’s a building with lights, there’s probably someone nearby figuring out how to make it run better.
The numbers are pretty staggering when you think about it. Two in five U.S. energy sector jobs are in efficiency. More Americans work in energy efficiency than as nurses, cashiers, or elementary teachers. And compared to fossil fuels? No contest. Solar alone employs three times more workers than coal. Fossil fuels are yesterday’s news, shedding jobs while clean energy sectors add them.
Looking ahead, energy efficiency could add another 1.1 million jobs by 2030 under current policies. That’s assuming politicians don’t mess things up, which is admittedly a bold assumption. Growth has already slowed somewhat amid policy changes.
The broader clean energy picture is equally impressive. Between solar, wind, batteries, efficiency, grid improvements, and EVs, the sector added about 100,000 jobs last year. The clean storage sector specifically saw a 4% increase in 2024, adding nearly 4,000 jobs nationwide. Wind turbine technician and solar installer are now the fastest-growing occupations in America. Not factory worker. Not coal miner. Green jobs.
Globally, clean energy employment climbed from 30 million in 2019 to 35 million in 2023. Meanwhile, fossil fuels are expected to hemorrhage 3 million jobs by 2030. The shift is happening, like it or not.
The data comes from multiple reports—the U.S. Energy & Employment Report, E2’s clean energy jobs analysis, and studies from E4TheFuture and IREC. The 8th annual report provides comprehensive insights on the energy efficiency job landscape in 2024, including state-by-state statistics and demographic trends. These professionals are enjoying careers with longevity, as most renewable installations last between 20-50 years, providing stable employment opportunities. The verdict is clear: America’s green workforce revolution is real, it’s widespread, and it’s accelerating.
References
- https://e4thefuture.org/energy-efficiency-jobs-in-america-2024-released/
- https://irecusa.org/blog/irec-news/2024-solar-jobs-roughly-level-with-2023-provide-critical-baseline-for-measuring-impacts-of-federal-policy-changes/
- https://e360.yale.edu/digest/us-clean-energy-jobs-2024
- https://www.wri.org/insights/state-clean-energy-charted
- https://building-performance.org/energy-efficiency-jobs-in-america-report/
- https://e2.org/releases/report-clean-energy-jobs-grew-3x-faster-than-rest-of-u-s-workforce-in-2024-but-future-growth-now-at-risk/
- https://www.energy.gov/policy/us-energy-employment-jobs-report-useer
