Jobs in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (2014)

This 2014 fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) provides a comprehensive overview of employment figures in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors within the United States and globally. It synthesizes data from government agencies, international organizations, and industry groups to highlight job creation trends and the economic impact of clean energy investments.

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) identified 3.4 million green jobs in the United States at the end of 2011, but the agency ceased providing 'measuring green jobs' products on March 1, 2013, due to budget cuts known as sequestration.
• Energy efficiency investments in the U.S. are reported to be more labor-intensive than the general economy; every $1 million invested supports approximately 20 jobs, compared to an economy-wide average of 17 jobs.
• In the United States, the renewable fuels industry supported 852,056 jobs in 2014, consisting of 292,166 direct jobs, 226,098 induced jobs, and 333,792 jobs in supplier chains.
• The solar industry was the top performer for clean energy job generation in 2013, with the Solar Foundation estimating nearly 143,000 solar jobs in the U.S., including 24,000 new jobs announced that year.
• Globally, the renewable energy sector supported 6.5 million jobs according to a 2014 IRENA report, with solar photovoltaic (2.3 million jobs) and wind power (0.8 million jobs) being the most dynamic sectors.
• China was the world's largest employer in the renewable energy sector in 2013, employing 2.64 million people, with the solar photovoltaic sector accounting for 1.6 million of those positions.
• In the European Union, renewable energy supported approximately 1.2 million jobs in 2013. Germany is the largest employer in the EU, supporting 371,000 direct and indirect jobs in 2013, despite losses in the solar photovoltaic industry.
• Brazil's renewable energy industries supported 894,000 jobs in 2013, with bioenergy as the largest sector, providing 539,000 direct jobs in bioethanol and 82,000 in biodiesel.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2014). Jobs in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (2014). https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_REEE_Jobs_122214.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Jobs in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (2014). 2014. https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_REEE_Jobs_122214.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Jobs in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (2014) |date=December 2014 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_REEE_Jobs_122214.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2014jobs, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Jobs in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (2014)}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2014}, month = dec, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_REEE_Jobs_122214.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }