Connecticut’s clean energy industry saw significant employment growth in 2021, according to a recently released study by the Connecticut Green Bank.
The 2022 Connecticut Clean Energy Industry Report shows that the state saw a 4% increase in employment in the clean energy sector in 2021 – the highest increase in the last five years, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The report’s key findings are incredibly positive – more jobs, more diversity, fewer emissions,” said Connecticut Green Bank Board Chair Lonnie Reed. “It also makes clear we need to create more energy efficiency opportunities for homes and businesses by better supporting the enterprises that deliver those services.”
The growth was led by increased employment in the alternative transportation and solar job sectors, according to the report.
Also, the state’s total clean energy contributions to the Gross Regional Product metric increased by nearly 7% to $7.07 billion.
Connecticut was just behind the national average, which saw a 5% increase in employment in the clean energy sector in 2021, according to the report.
Other findings of the report include:
- Alternative transportation firms saw unprecedented growth of nearly 29% in 2021, bolstered by the hybrid electric and electric vehicle sub-sectors.
- Solar jobs increased by 8.4% in 2021.
- The number of firms conducting energy efficiency, clean energy generation, clean fuels and clean grid and storage work increased between 2020 and 2021.
- Except for energy efficiency, all technology sectors fully recovered from job losses incurred in 2020 and surpassed their pre-pandemic employment levels.
- Connecticut’s clean energy workforce was slightly more diverse in 2021.
- Fewer employers reported experiencing hiring difficulty in 2021 than in 2020, though hiring difficulty remains nearly 14% greater than pre-pandemic levels.
To read the full report, visit https://www.ctgreenbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2022-Clean-Energy-Industry-Report-final-4-5-2023-1.pdf.
This is the third industry study produced by the Connecticut Green Bank, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Eversource and United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, subsidiaries of AVANGRID Inc., operating through the Joint Committee of the Energy Efficiency Board.
