Ecotech Institute’s Clean Jobs Index, a tool to compare states’ use and development of clean energy, found more than one million job postings in the clean energy sector from July 1, 2013 through September 30, 2013. This shows a 54% increase in needed clean energy employees, evidence that the sector is rapidly growing and in need of experts.
To complement the increase in these clean energy job opportunities, 1,543 new alternative fueling stations opened across the United States since the second quarter 2013. Between the months of July and September, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Tennessee had the most alternative fueling stations per capita.
Highlights from the Clean Jobs Index, Q3 2013
Number of U.S. Clean Jobs Postings:
1,099,734 (a 54% increase from Q2 2013)
New Alternative Fueling Stations (Since Q2 2013):
1,543
States With the Most Alternative Fueling Stations (Per Capita):
Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Tennessee
In Q3, Ohio Moved From 24th in Energy Efficiency to 2nd in the Nation
The Most Energy Efficient States (in no particular order):
California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington
States With the Most Incentives for Sustainability and Renewables (in no particular order):
California, Texas, Minnesota, Washington and Oregon
*(Rhode Island added more incentives and rebates than any other state in Q3)
“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. We’re proud that Ecotech is the only higher education institution out there devoted entirely to helping students become successful professionals in this rapidly expanding sector.”
Ecotech Institute’s Clean Jobs Index is an aggregation of statistics by state, developed on a number of factors. LEED projects, energy efficiency, green pricing, net metering, total energy consumption and alternative fueling stations are all considered when ranking states. Higher index numbers suggest a state’s propensity to embrace renewable energy and energy efficiency. It may also indicate a greater possibility for employment in that local clean economy sector, though the Clean Jobs Index in no way indicates the presence or the promise of any specific job opportunities. Data is gathered regularly from independent research entities including: 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.
Ecotech Institute, a school dedicated to educating students in clean energy fields such as solar, wind and renewable energy, launched the Clean Jobs Index in January 2013 to provide objective job information about the clean tech industry. The Index also looks at various sustainability factors such as alternative fueling stations, LEED projects and total energy consumption in all 50 states. The Clean Jobs Index defines 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.
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