Renewable energy jobs statistics - United States

The U.S. government funding of $2 billion dollars should be enough to ensure more than 1500 permanent jobs in US solar power industry.

In U.S., solar power installer has an average salary between $40,000-50,000 per year, while solar power engineer double this amount.

It has been calculated than in the last decade the number of jobs in U.S. solar power industry has increased by more than 20 percent.

The average wind energy technician salary in United States is between $30,000-40,000 per year.

At the end of 2009, there were around 95,000 people employed in US solar power industry.

In February 2009, the U.S. Congress passed an $800 billion stimulus package which should in years to come create around two million jobs in renewable energy industry, mostly in solar power industry.

According to some recent studies renewable energy jobs, together with energy efficiency jobs should create more than 4 million employments by the year 2030.

The 2008 study by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) predicts 37 million jobs and $4.29 billion in annual revenue by 2030 from renewable energy and energy efficiency in U.S.

It has been estimated that around 95% of all renewable energy jobs are in private industry.

Renewable energy sectors that account for the majority of green jobs in United States include solar, wind and biofuels.

Wind farm manager in United States earns an average salary between $70,000 to $90,000 per year.

US ethanol industry currently employs more than 200,000 people despite the recent struggle.

Biomass and biofuels industry currently employs around 350,000 people in United States.

It is estimated that wind power sector in Iowa currently employs close to 4000 people.

Solar energy industry is most developed in California where it employs more than 30,000 people. In 2009 alone, California added more than 5000 new renewable energy jobs, most of which in solar industry.

Oregon has lately experienced real boom in new green jobs, especially in solar power industry. Solar power industry in Oregon currently employs more than 1000 people, mostly in manufacturing solar power gear.

It is expected that the number of solar energy jobs in United States would grow by 26% compared to 2010.

More than half of US solar energy companies expect to add new jobs in 2011.

In 2011 there should be around 3000 new geothermal energy jobs in United States, mostly in California and Nevada.

By the year 2020 the US biofuel industry should account to around 800,000 green energy jobs (both direct and indirect).

U.S. hydropower industry currently accounts for approximately 250,000 direct jobs.

Global renewable energy growth continues

Renewable energy sector around the world will continue to grow at rapid pace in years to come, and this should in two decades from now result in 20 million new renewable energy jobs, at least this is what Helene Pelosse, interim Director- General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), said on a five-day conference on renewable energy, held in Abu Dhabi.

According to Pelosse the number of renewable energy jobs keep on growing on global level. In 2008, this number was 2,332,000, which is expected to reach 20,000,000 additional jobs requirements in the global renewable energy sector by 2030.

Pelosse believes that there could be 50 percent renewable energy in the energy mix by 2050 (a bit optimistic in my opinion but nonetheless possible). Solar and wind energy industry experienced the largest growths, as there were double digit growth rates for both photovoltaic and wind over the last years, and 60 percent of new capacity in Europe come from renewable energy (especially in Germany and Spain). 85 countries in the world are with policy targets and other 75 countries with feed-in tariffs.

Global renewable energy growth data shows that in period between 2004-2008, there was a fourfold increase in renewable energy investments, while total renewable energy in 2009 were impressive $162 billion. The renewable energy currently accounts to around 18 percent of the global energy consumption. This number should significantly increase in years to come because fossil fuels such as coal and oil are losing popularity because of climate change issue.

As Pelosse concluded there are three main drivers for renewable energy: economic growth, climate change and energy security. With these three supporting factors renewable energy looks likely to continue its growing trend in years to come.