​Report: California's alternative energy industry to add about 70,000 jobs next year

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A new study estimates California is home to an 432,000 jobs in alternative energy and the industry is expected to add some 70,000 jobs over the next year.

Allen Young

Staff Writer- Sacramento Business Journal

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California is home to an estimated 432,000 jobs in alternative energy and the industry is expected to add some 70,000 jobs over the next year. The projections come from Advanced Energy Economy Institute, a nonprofit cofounded by billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer.

The report estimated that the Sacramento region has 15,000 alternative energy jobs, the Bay Area has 104,500 jobs, the Inland Empire has 55,300 and Southern California has 172,400 jobs.

Here is a breakdown of alternative energy jobs in California by industry subsectors, and their percentage of the alternative-energy economy.

• Energy-efficient buildings — 303,000 jobs
• Solar and wind power — 95,000 jobs
• Alternative fuels – 11,000 jobs
• Alternative transportation – 15,000 jobs
• Advanced grid technologies – 8,500 jobs

The projections were based on a phone and email survey of 2,073 respondents that work in the alternative energy industry. They survey was conducted by BW Research Partnership and had a margin error of 2.13 percent.

Allen Young covers state legislation, regulation and contracts, as well as economic news, international trade and economic development for the Sacramento Business Journal.