The solar energy sector provides more jobs in America than traditional fuel industries

A new report from the US Department of Energy can be a good argument in the debate that "green energy" has a negative impact on the country's economy.

The second annual report on energy and employment (USEER) from the US Department of Energy showed that in 2016 more people were involved in the solar energy sector than in all traditional industries (oil, gas and coal) combined. This is largely due to the construction of new capacities of solar power plants.

What is the topic of the report

During 2015-2016, solar energy provided jobs to 374,000 people, which is 43 percent of the energy sector's labor force, while traditional fossil fuels combined employed 187,117 workers, which is only 22 percent of the workforce.

According to the report, 6.4 million Americans are currently working in the energy sector, and in 2016 added 300,000 new jobs in the clean energy sector, representing 14 percent of the total growth in the number of jobs in the US this year.

Rise of the branches of green energy

The data show that the solar "green energy" is on the rise in recent years. The number of jobs in the field of energy efficiency increased by 133 thousand, which is 2.2 million in total. Starting from 2015, employment in the field of solar energy increased by 25%, which added new jobs in the amount of 73 thousand. At the same time, employment in the field of wind energy increased by 32 percent, which makes it the third largest workforce in the electric power sector, where currently employs 100,000 people.

The report also shows a trend towards an increase in the number of jobs in energy efficiency through other industries. The data showed that approximately 32 percent of the US construction industry works for energy or construction of energy-efficient projects. Of the 2.4 million people working in the motor vehicle industry, 260,000 support vehicles on alternative fuels. Last year, there was an increase in jobs by 69 thousand.

Employer Analysis

USEER also analyzed employers in the energy field in the US to obtain data on the expected increase in the number of jobs in 2017. The results predict an increase in employment in many industries in the energy sector. Energy efficiency employers will show the highest growth rates over the next 12 months, presumably by 9 percent across the sector. This means, there will be about 200 thousand additional jobs. In the fuel sector, on the other hand, a decrease of 3 percent in 2017 is projected.

"This report confirms the dynamic role that energy technologies and infrastructure play in the economy of the 21st century," says David Foster, Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Energy on industrial and economic policy. Innovative energy is an important driver of America's economic growth.