More than half of energy sector jobs in 2023 were green jobs, DOE report says

According to this year's Energy and Jobs Report, the sector created over 250,000 new jobs in 2023, 56% of which were in clean energy. In addition, for the first time, union density in green jobs was higher than in the sector as a whole – 12.4% versus 11%.

Data pointing to growth in union jobs in clean energy is bolstering Democrats' big bet on the green transition. Members of the party have invested billions in green technologies and infrastructure to help the U.S. reduce emissions and meet global climate goals – while arguing that the investment would pay off through job growth.

“When you put it all together, you get an energy jobs sector that is strong and only getting stronger, with the leadership and investments of the Biden-Harris administration growing year over year, both in quantity and quality and also in their consistency,” Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk said in a call with reporters.

Government officials stressed during the call that energy companies were having “less difficulty” hiring skilled workers than last year – addressing criticism that many workers in the fossil fuel industry would be left behind in the green energy transition. Still, the report found that 76% of employers across the industry were having at least “some difficulty” finding skilled workers, with the highest rates in the automotive and power generation sectors.

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Last year, clean energy jobs grew 3.9%, outpacing the country's overall job growth in 2022. Employment increased in five clean technology categories: energy efficiency, fuels, automotive, transmission, distribution and storage. The sectors with the fastest job growth were utilities and construction.

Both the wind and solar industries saw strong employment growth of 5.3% and 4.5%, respectively. Solar jobs in particular were more demographically diverse and unionized, the report said.