The growth of clean energy jobs was more than three times that of overall job growth in 2024, according to the 2025 Clean Jobs America report.

There were nearly 100,000 new clean energy jobs by year’s end. Almost 3.6 million Americans now work in sectors including clean vehicles, renewable energy generation and energy efficiency.

These numbers are drawn from Bureau of Labor Statistics data, supplemented by a survey of more than 40,000 companies. The jobs report comes from E2, a nonprofit that works with investors and business leaders.

“What these numbers show is that this was one of the hottest and most promising job sectors in the country at the end of 2024,” said Bob Keefe, E2’s executive director.

The South Is Leading

The highest rates of job increase in 2024 weren’t in Western states, with the exception of Idaho (see map). West Virginia, Louisiana, Florida and Oklahoma were all in the top 10.Longer-term trends are similar. Only two blue states are among the 10 that have seen the fastest growth in clean energy jobs since 2020. Kentucky, Alabama and Tennessee are all on this list.

This concentration is reflected in the overall size of the workforce. Nearly a third of the 3.6 million clean energy jobs are in the South.
 

Renewable jobs have increased dramatically since 2020. A continuous upward trend accelerated after 2022.

Growth Is Slowing

Changing federal policies, including the One Big Beautiful Bill’srollbackof Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits and an executive order freezing disbursement of IRA funds to support clean energy programs, are expected to slow growth.

E2 has identified more than $22 billion in clean investments that have been canceled since the beginning of 2025. This means the loss of nearly 17,000 jobs.

States are realizing that they need to step up, Keefe says. Ninety percent of the new power capacity added in 2024 came from renewables.

Data centers and AI are driving intense demand, and solar and wind are the fastest and cheapest ways to get more electricity. The wait for a new turbine for a natural gas power plant is currently seven years, Keefe says.

He points to recent bipartisan bills enacted in California that extend its cap-and-trade program and call for establishment of a regional electricity market that would increase grid stability as an example of how states can lead.

The tech industry is also moving toward clean energy, Keefe says. States aren’t happy with their huge electricity demands. A workforce that can foster ongoing energy innovation, and build and maintain systems, is part of the AI support system.

“We need to reinvest in innovation in America,” he says. “These companies are going to continue to grow — unfortunately, just not at the pace they have in the past.”