FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACTS: Pat Mitchell, pmitchell@hastingsgroup.com, 703-276-3266; or Jeff Benzak, jeff@e2.org; 202-513-6248. Study: Clean Energy Employs 85,000 New Yorkers
Four out of Five N.Y. Clean Energy Workers – or 69,000 – Work in Energy Efficiency; Renewable Energy Employs 12,400; Data Searchable by County and Legislative District
NEW YORK (May 5, 2016) – More than 85,000 New Yorkers work in the clean energy industry at 7,500 business establishments across all 62 counties, according to a comprehensive new analysis unveiled this week by the national nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, the New York State Sustainable Business Council and New Yorkers for Clean Power.
The report – “Clean Jobs New York,” available here – is based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics information and new data from the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as a comprehensive survey of hundreds of businesses across the state.
“Tens of thousands of New Yorkers make clean energy a big and growing part of our state’s economy,” said Ron Kamen, CEO of Rhinebeck, N.Y.-based clean energy developer EarthKind Energy Inc. and a director of E2’s New York Chapter. “Clean energy now employs as many New Yorkers as some of the most prominent sectors in our economy. With the right policies, we can continue to create jobs in our state, while also helping our environment.”
The report was released Monday in Manhattan at the Solar One Green Energy Education Center as part of the launch of New Yorkers for Clean Power, a new campaign to rapidly shift to a clean energy economy in New York.
“This new campaign is bringing together organizations, businesses, municipalities, and communities to implement clean energy, clean vehicles and create good jobs for New Yorkers,” said Renee Vogelsang, campaign coordinator for New Yorkers for Clean Power.
The Clean Jobs New York analysis was done for the groups by BW Research Partnership and includes detailed jobs data down to the county, metropolitan area, congressional and state legislative district levels – making it the most comprehensive tally of clean energy jobs ever in New York. More details are available at the searchable BW Energy Employment Index website developed for the groups.
Based on responses from employers surveyed by BW Research, clean energy jobs are projected to grow by more than 6 percent over this year – substantially greater than the overall state and national economic growth rate.
“New York is a regional and national clean energy jobs leader with plenty of room for growth,” said Philip Jordan, vice president and principal at BW Research Partnership. “In speaking with employers from all over the state, our researchers repeatedly heard that enthusiasm for adding more clean energy jobs is high.”
According to the Clean Jobs New York study, energy efficiency is by far the state’s largest clean energy employer, with more than 69,000 New Yorkers working in areas such as high-efficiency lighting, Energy Star appliance manufacturing and high-efficiency HVAC services to reduce wasted energy in homes, schools and businesses.
More than 12,400 New Yorkers work in renewable energy, the study found. The state’s top renewables sector was solar, with more than 10,600 jobs.
“We know New York’s clean energy industry is thriving, and today’s numbers are exciting to see,” said Anne Reynolds, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York. “And when the state doubles the amount of electricity generated under the new 50 percent Clean Energy Standard, these economic benefits and jobs will grow even more. New job opportunities will come from renewable energy, like wind, solar, and fuel cells, and energy efficiency. We see a bright future for New York’s strengthening clean energy economy.”
The report shows that state energy efficiency and renewable standards, federal tax incentives and other policies have helped drive exponential growth in clean energy jobs in recent years.
To keep these jobs growing, lawmakers should continue to support the policies that are driving the clean energy sector, according to the groups behind the report. These policies range from the international climate agreement reached in Paris and the federal Clean Power Plan, to state and regional clean energy goals in New York like Gov. Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative and the state’s plan to get 50 percent of its energy from renewables.
“To maintain the growth in clean energy jobs and economic opportunities, our state leaders must continue their leadership in revolutionizing New York’s energy policy and limiting investments in fossil fuel infrastructure that would lock us in for decades to come,” said Laura Ornstein, director of the NYS Sustainable Business Council.
Additional report findings include:
- There are clean energy jobs in every county in New York. Taking a closer look at metro areas, New York City has 57,400 residents working in clean energy, followed by Troy-Schenectady-Albany (nearly 5,000 jobs) and the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area (more than 4,000).
- About 650 New Yorkers work in the advanced vehicle industry, 77 percent of whom work on electric vehicles. Strength in this industry is due in part to new fuel-efficiency standards for vehicles and trucks.
- More New Yorkers work in clean energy than work in investment banking, and clean energy is nearly as big as the state’s building construction industry, according to data from the New York State Department of Labor.
The report includes case studies of a clean energy consulting firm in Albany that employs 120 people, a wind farm near Ithaca that will power 5,000 homes and a 27-year-old Ithaca company with Syracuse roots that employs 45 people.
To speak with clean energy business leaders in your area, please contact E2 press secretary Jeff Benzak at 202-513-6248 or jeff@e2.org. For more information on the New Yorkers for Clean Power campaign, please contact Renee Vogelsang at renee@cleanpowerny.org or 315-380-2708.
In addition to Clean Jobs New York, E2 and its partners have conducted in-depth clean energy jobs studies in numerous other states. We recently released www.CleanJobsMidwest.com, which maps clean energy jobs in 12 Midwestern states, and Clean Jobs America, which shows more than 2.5 million clean energy jobs across the country.
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Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is a national, nonpartisan group of business leaders, investors, and professionals from every sector of the economy who advocate for smart policies that are good for the economy and good for the environment. Our members have founded or funded more than 2,500 companies, created more than 600,000 jobs, and manage more than $100 billion in venture and private equity capital. For more information, see www.e2.org or follow us on Twitter at @e2org.
New York Sustainable Business Council (NYSSBC) is an alliance of business organizations and businesses committed to advancing a vibrant, just, and sustainable economy in the state. The organization promotes strategies and policies designed to build strong local economies, prioritizes investment and innovation in clean technologies from green chemistry to renewable energy sources, and advances the development of sustainable communities in New York State.
The Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) is an alliance of private clean energy companies and non-profit public interest organizations, dedicated to promoting clean energy, energy efficiency, a healthy environment, and a strong economy for the Empire State. Our members include companies focusing on wind energy, solar power, and hydropower, fuel cells, biogas, and biomass. ACE NY is New York’s premier advocate for the rapid adoption of clean energy alternatives and energy conservation. We are an active participant in public education and outreach efforts, legislative and regulatory affairs, and the oversight of electricity markets.
New Yorkers for Clean Power is a statewide campaign to rapidly shift to a clean energy economy. Through education, advocacy and organizing, the campaign engages the public, local governments and businesses to advance a range of renewable energy, efficiency and clean transportation solutions.
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