Clean energy work increased three times faster than the rest of the economy last year, according to a new analysis. However, growth has slowed down considerably compared to the previous year, while clean technology companies were preparing for a change in American energy policy.
The United States has added nearly 100,000 jobs in solar, wind, batteries, energy efficiency, network upgrades, biofuels and electric cars in 2024, according to an E2 report, a group promoting clean energy. In total, more than 3.5 million Americans now occupy jobs related to clean energy, more than those of nurses, cashiers, servers or primary teachers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the wind turbine technician and the solar installer are the fastest growth jobs in America.
However, the growth of employment with clean energy has slowed down last year, the United States adding 50,000 less jobs of this type than in 2023. Analysts blame a weakening of the economy and uncertainty about the future of energy policy.
Since President Trump took office, the prospects for the clean energy sector have still lowered. The administration blocks renewable energy projects on federal land and waters, reduces tax credits for clean technology and the creation of new regulatory obstacles for solar, wind and electric vehicles. In the first half of 2025, companies canceled $ 22 billion in clean energy projects, which would have created more than 16,500 jobs, most of them in republican bastions, according to a previous E2 analysis.
Clean Energy “was one of the warmer and most promising employment sectors in the end of 2024,” said Bob Keefe, executive director of E2. “Now, the growth of employment with clean energy is serious – and with it, our global economy.”
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