US report shows energy, energy efficiency sectors increased by more than 120,000 new jobs in 2019

A new report released by the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) this week showed that 2019 brought 120,300 new jobs to the U.S. Energy and Energy Efficiency sectors.

The 2020 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) marks the fifth annual survey of U.S. labor forces and skills trends across five energy sectors: fuels; electric power generation; transmission, distribution and storage; energy efficiency; and motor vehicles. In addition to the 120,300 new jobs the survey found, it also determined that these sectors currently employ 6.8 million workers.

“Since we started collecting this data in 2015, these five critical sectors of the economy have produced jobs at double the rate of the economy as a whole,” Ernest Moniz, former U.S. Secretary of Energy and current leader of EFI, said. “We are now producing more energy, more cheaply than ever before, and are using it more efficiently. Energy investment is a winning formula to respond to any recession.”

The report was built from surveys of around 30,000 employers. Report author David Foster hopes it will be used to provide valuable guidance for utilizing U.S. energy resources and grow the economy.

“As the energy industry experiences continual change, the USEER puts a spotlight on markets, technologies, and occupations that offer opportunities for higher wages and revenue growth,” NASEO Executive Director David Terry said. “For the governors’ energy directors and their staff, it enables data-driven, impactful policymaking and program design with wide ranging benefits, including accelerating job creation as our economy faces unprecedented challenges, promoting energy security, and prioritizing climate change and environmental sustainability.”