WASHINGTON — From energy efficiency upgrades to light-rail projects, clean energy and clean transportation continue to create jobs and drive economic growth. By tracking job announcements from companies, elected officials, the media and elsewhere, Environmental Entrepreneurs’ (E2) recent job report shows how and where clean energy works in the United States.
More than 38,600 clean energy and clean transportation jobs connected to at least 58 projects were announced in the second quarter (Q2) of this year. That was slightly higher than the 37,400 clean energy jobs that E2 tracked in the comparable quarter a year ago.
Power generation projects from solar, wind, biomass and other renewable energy sources will create more than 13,300 jobs if the announcements made hold true — more jobs than any other sector tracked by E2 this quarter.
Clean energy and clean transportation jobs were announced in at least 27 states in Q2 of this year. For the first time, Kansas and Missouri each made the top 10 list of states to announce clean energy projects in the second quarter of 2013, thanks in large part to the Clean Line Energy Partners LLC announcement of the “Grain Belt Express Clean Line” transmission upgrade project. The project will transmit more than 3,500 megawatts of wind energy from Kansas and Missouri east to other states. The $2 billion project is scheduled for completion by 2018. Clean Line Energy Partners estimates the project could create 5,500 jobs to plan, construct and manage the new line.
The top 10 states for clean energy job announcements in Q2 2013 include Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon and Texas.
For more details, including state-by-state breakdowns and more clean energy jobs stories, visit www.cleanenergyworksforus.org or www.E2.org or call (415) 875-6124.
