Clean Energy Industry Adds Over 1,500 Jobs Statewide
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) today announced the state’s clean energy sector has continued its trend of upward growth, adding more than 1,500 workers to the clean energy workforce between 2017 and 2018. The figures, released as part of MassCEC’s 2018 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report, found that the industry now employs more than 110,700 workers in the Commonwealth, an increase of 1.4% since 2017 and 84 percent since 2010.
“Massachusetts’ clean energy industry is a critical sector for the Commonwealth’s nation-leading leading innovation economy and we are pleased to see continued job growth in this year’s report,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We are proud of our standing as the most energy efficient state in the country and a leader in the emerging offshore wind industry, and look forward to continuing our work to secure a reliable, diverse and affordable energy portfolio for the Commonwealth.”
“The clean energy industry in Massachusetts has created thousands of local jobs and driven economic development across the state while helping us meet our ambitious climate goals,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Our administration remains committed to supporting this vibrant sector of the Massachusetts economy and working with clean energy employers across the state to develop a workforce that can meet the needs of this diverse industry.”
The clean energy industry saw robust growth in its contribution to Massachusetts’ Gross State Product (GSP), increasing 15% between 2017 and 2018 to contribute over $13 billion to the statewide economy, making up about 2.5% of the GSP.
The report found that the clean energy industry employs residents in every region of Massachusetts and makes up about 3.1 percent of the Massachusetts workforce. The Southeast region saw the most job growth, with a 5.9 percent increase from 2017 to 2018, followed by the Western region, which recorded a 2.4 percent increase. The Northeast region, which includes Boston, makes up about 48% of total clean energy employment, with more than 53,000 workers. Central Massachusetts saw a 5.4 percent growth in total clean energy establishments, as well as a 1.1% increase in jobs.
“A thriving clean energy workforce is critical to the Baker-Polito Administration’s efforts to promote the deployment of clean energy technologies while lowering energy costs for Massachusetts residents,” said Energy and Environment Affairs (EEA) Secretary Matthew Beaton. “As we continue to work towards our nation-leading greenhouse gas reduction targets, the clean energy industry will play an important role in developing technology advancements and innovative solutions while growing the state’s economy.”
“The clean energy industry continues to create quality jobs across Massachusetts,” said MassCEC CEO Stephen Pike. “With more than 110,000 workers across the Commonwealth in a variety of occupations, including installation, efficiency, demand management and manufacturing, clean energy represents a significant segment of the Massachusetts workforce.”
Other findings show that installation-related jobs are the largest source of clean energy employment, making up 30,057 jobs, followed closely by sales & distribution with 27,471 jobs. The fastest growing component of the clean energy workforce was engineering & researching, adding more than 2,400 jobs, a 2.7% increase.
