Availability of clean energy jobs increases 54 percent

November 25, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Ecotech Institute has released its Clean Jobs Index -- a tool to compare states' use and development of clean energy -- uncovering more than one million job postings in the clean energy sector from July 1, 2013 through September 30, 2013. These numbers reveal a 54 percent increase in the need for clean energy employees, demonstrating the rapid growth of the sector.

Clean tech jobs. Click to enlarge.

"This data shows a long-awaited boom in the clean tech industry, from the increases in alternative fueling options to a massive amount of clean job opportunities," said Kyle Crider, Ecotech Institute's program chair and manager of environmental operations. "States now offer more sustainability and renewable incentives than we've ever seen before, which proves that they're taking the power of the industry seriously. In the state of the current economy, over 1 million job opportunities is a truly incredible statistic."

Launched in January 2013, the Clean Jobs Index attempts to provide objective job information about the clean tech industry, defining a clean tech job as one where workers make their business more environmentally friendly, use fewer natural resources, or produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment.

The Clean Jobs Index is an aggregation of statistics by state, developed on a number of factors, including LEED projects, energy efficiency, green pricing, net metering, total energy consumption and alternative fueling stations. Higher numbers suggest a state's propensity to embrace renewable energy and energy efficiency or a greater potential for employment in that local clean economy sector. The index uses data gathered regularly from independent research entities including the 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.

For more:
- see the index

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/availability-clean-energy-jobs-increases-54-percent/2013-11-25