claim: Clean and renewable energy doesn’t support many American jobs.

fact: There are at least a million clean energy jobs in the United States, from hard hats and lab coats to engineers and installers. The sector is a strong and growing contributor to America’s economy.

  1. In the first three months of 2012 alone, there were more than 46,000 new jobs associated with new clean energy projects. (Source: Environmental Entrepreneurs, http://bit.ly/I8Biol)
  2. The U.S. wind industry employs more than 75,000 people. (Source: American Wind Energy Association, http://bit.ly/HF4YIn)
  3. The U.S. solar industry employs more than 100,000 Americans. (Source: Solar Foundation, http://bit.ly/qvk7fH)
  4. More than 400,000 people work in the U.S. biofuels industry. (Source: Renewable Fuels Association, http://bit.ly/emXMPh)
  5. There are at least 200,000 people working in the U.S. hydropower industry. (Source: Navigant Consulting, http://bit.ly/L6oA8M)
  6. 25,000 Americans work in the U.S. geothermal energy industry. (Source: TechNewsWorld, http://bit.ly/K47oFS)
  7. 155,000 Americans were employed by suppliers of clean and efficient vehicle components in 2011. (Source: NRDC/NWF/UAW, http://bit.ly/q0i8kI)
  8. The U.S. biomass industry supports more than 15,000 jobs, with many of those jobs based in rural areas. (Source: Biomass Power Association, http://bit.ly/Lv6ZYs)
  9. The growing green building sector supports 661,000 jobs – one-third of the U.S. design and construction workforce. (Source: McGraw Hill, http://bit.ly/M2ayEp)
  10. The clean energy sector employs more than 71,000 workers at nearly 5,000 companies across Massachusetts.http://bo.st/NQQOve
  11. 37,400 new clean energy jobs have been announced in the second quarter.http://bit.ly/TwTKfU
  12. Top 10 clean job states : California, Florida, and New York landed the most energy jobs in the second quarter. Michigan, Colorado, Ohio, New Jersey, Illinois, Nebraska and Mississippi rounded out biggest-gaining states. http://bit.ly/TwTKfU
  13. 12 wind generation projects are poised to create roughly 2,300 new jobs.http://bit.ly/TwTKfU

To learn more, see our Energy Issues page on Jobs.

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claim: Clean and renewable energy are just for the “coasts” – not the South or Midwest.

fact: Clean, renewable energy is being produced and is supporting jobs in every region of the country, including many regions not traditionally associated with clean energy.

  1. The 5 states that receive the highest percentage of their electricity from wind power are all in the Midwest: Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Kansas. (Source: AWEA, http://bit.ly/11RHxmh)
  2. A recent study showed that adding more wind to the grid could save Midwestern households between $65 and $200 each year. (Source: Synapse Energy Economics / ACEG, http://bit.ly/JDVPUZ)
  3. 3 of the U.S.’s 5 most productive wind farms are in Texas. (Source: AWEA, http://bit.ly/165i3XY)
  4. American bio-fuel production saved the Midwest $1.69 per gallon of gasoline in 2012. (Source: The Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, http://bit.ly/Kdoudi)
  5. Arizona is second in the U.S. in terms of solar electric capacity. Nevada and Colorado are fourth and fifth, respectively. (Source: Solar Energy Industry Associates, http://bit.ly/11v1bWg)
  6. 16 states get more than 10% of their electricity from renewable resources. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, http://bit.ly/HtQ38b)
  7. The country’s top 10 hydropower producing states include Arizona, Alabama, North Carolina and Tennessee. (Source: National Hydropower Association, http://bit.ly/Ign5VJ)
  8. Nearly 1,000 companies in the South and Rustbelt states are part of the U.S. hydropower industry’s supply chain. (Source: National Hydropower Association, http://bit.ly/Ign5VJ)

To learn more, see our Energy Issues page on Costs.