Despite the focus on expanded coal mining as a potential source of job growth, the renewable energy sector is quietly creating hundreds of thousands of green jobs in states across the country.
To help measure the impact of green job growth we analyzed our database of over 8 million active jobs to look at year over year percentage growth in green jobs by state. We then ranked all 50 states by their growth rate in green jobs to find the top ten:
1. New Mexico: +390%
New Mexico’s renewable energy tax credit for producers has led to the creation of over 11,000 jobs and $1.6 billion in economic activity, $600 million of which came in the form of wages. The state now gets around 14% of its electricity from renewable sources, with wind farms accounting for 11% of power generated overall.
Outlook: The New Mexico legislature is now considering an extension of the tax credits – which were set to expire in 2018 – to 2023, a move boosters say would create 7,000 more renewable energy jobs and $1 billion dollars of additional economic activity.
2. Montana: +355%
Montana lags behind other states in the Northwest in terms of renewable energy incentives and has a robust coal mining industry, but still managed tremendous growth. Part of that is due to the natural advantages Montana has over other states in the region: it’s estimated that its wind resources could be greater than those of the Columbia River Gorge, and wind already provides 7% of the state’s power. On the solar front, due to its clear skies during winter, and according to the state Montana’s solar resources are “26% greater than the national average”.
Outlook: A recent decision by the state’s PSC has solar and wind advocates concerned that new regulations may curb the growth of Montana’s of renewable energy sector.
3. Vermont: +328%
Vermont is one of the national leaders in renewable energy, ranked behind only California in a recent study of the top states for renewables. That same study by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that Vermont had the most “clean energy jobs per capita” with over 10,000 people employed in the sector. Most impressively the state’s largest city, Burlington, is the only municipality in the nation to draw all of its power from renewable sources.
Outlook: Vermont’s clean energy boom looks to continue, as state and local leaders have doubled-down on their efforts to become carbon neutral despite the decision by President Trump to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord.
4. Delaware: +326%
Delaware’s solar energy industry has boomed over the last two years, as state incentives led homeowners to install enough panels to boost installed solar capacity by 137% and provide 74.4 watts of power per person. In fact, the incentives have become so popular that lawmakers had to slightly reduce the dollar amount of individual grants available to homeowners.
Outlook: The solar industry looks set to continue to grow, as Delaware has set the goal of increasing the amount of renewable energy the state uses to 25% of production. Delaware has also joined an alliance of local governments committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which should boost efforts to expand renewable energy efforts in the state.
5. Maryland: +323%
News that Maryland is set to become home to the nation’s largest offshore wind farm, and that a massive solar farm is being built along its Eastern Shore, indicate that the state’s incentive program is succeeding at driving job creation in the renewable energy sector. The program has even recently been expanded to provide incentives for renewable energy storage system development.
Outlook: Construction of the offshore wind farm and new solar farms should continue to boost job growth in the sector, and Maryland’s energy storage incentives – which are offered by only five states currently – could position it as a hub for the collection and distribution of renewable energy.
The rest of top ten states for growth in green jobs are:
- Minnesota: +307%
- Illinois: +305%
- Wisconsin: +295%
- Kansas: +294%
- Virginia: +271%
