DES MOINES, IOWA (October 12, 2022) — Clean energy businesses in Iowa added more than 1,400 workers in 2021, now employing 30,393 Iowans across the state. That’s according to a new analysis of employment data released today by the national, non-partisan business group E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) and non-profit Evergreen Climate Innovations. Almost twice as many Iowans worked in clean energy than the number of lawyers, accountants and auditors, web developers, and real-estate agents in the state combined.
After a mild downturn across all energy jobs in 2020, Iowa clean energy jobs grew five percent in 2021, over two times faster than the overall economy. According to Clean Jobs Midwest 2022, growth in 2021 was driven by advanced transportation, which added more than 710 jobs and now employs 3,594 workers statewide.
Key Findings Include:
- Clean-energy occupations accounted for 22 percent of all construction jobs and two percent of all manufacturing jobs in Iowa;
- Small businesses drive Iowa’s clean-energy sector — in 2021, 74 percent of Iowa’s clean-energy businesses employed fewer than twenty people; and
- Ten percent of Iowans employed in clean energy are veterans.
According to the analysis, the energy-efficiency sector continued to lead clean energy in total jobs in 2021 with more than 18,860 workers, followed by renewable energy (5,682 jobs) and advanced transportation (3,594 jobs). Meanwhile, advanced transportation saw the fastest job-growth across clean energy (25 percent), followed by grid and storage (4 percent).
Clean-energy employment grew five percent nationwide to reach 3.2 million jobs. The Midwest also saw clean-energy jobs increase five percent, a rate faster than overall employment growth in the region. The twelve-state Midwest region is now home to over 714,000 clean-energy jobs.
Despite the recent growth, clean-energy jobs still have significant room to grow in Iowa. With billions in funds from the Inflation Reduction Act preparing to be invested nationwide, the state has an enormous opportunity to create tens of thousands more jobs in the coming years. To see the full potential of job and emission-reduction benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act, state and federal coordination is needed. Policies that remove barriers for clean-energy development, like the development of workforce training programs and expansion of transmission infrastructure, will also be critical.
Micaela Preskill, Midwest Advocate for E2 said:
"With the IRA investing billions into the clean-energy sector in the coming years, these jobs are set to grow at an unprecedented rate. Iowa stands to benefit as the industry builds off its strong foundation with clean-energy workers calling home in every corner of the Midwest. With policies that support strong wages, equity, and workforce-training, a transformation to a cleaner economy that boosts the state's entire economy is within reach."
Ian Adams, Managing Director at Evergreen Climate Innovations said:
"The clean-energy workforce is a large and growing part of the Midwest region's economy. This seventh edition of the Clean Jobs Midwest report demonstrates how innovative businesses across renewable energy, electric vehicles, and beyond are continuing to deploy new technologies and create new jobs in the process. Looking forward, we are excited for the potential for this industry to grow even more robustly following the passage of impactful federal legislation including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act."
Todd Miller, President of 1 Source Solar based in Ankeny, IA said:
“The new Clean Jobs Midwest report underscores that clean energy is an economic engine for Iowa. Our solar business alone has grown from two people to more than forty, and we see this growth across other clean-energy industries in Iowa as well. This provides new opportunities for highly-skilled job opportunities in both urban and rural Iowa, and the future is bright.”
Other Findings:
- Clean-energy occupations accounted for 22 percent of all construction jobs and two percent of all manufacturing jobs in Iowa;
- Small businesses drive Iowa’s clean energy sector — in 2021, 74 percent of Iowa’s clean-energy businesses employed fewer than twenty people; and
- Ten percent of Iowans employed in clean energy are veterans.
For a full breakdown of clean-energy jobs for every state in the Midwest, see www.cleanjobsmidwest.com — including profiles of workers in each sector.
Methodology:
This is the seventh annual Clean Jobs Midwest report produced by E2 and Evergreen Climate Innovations (formerly Clean Energy Trust) based on analysis of the US Department of Energy’s annual US Energy Employment and Jobs Report (USEER) by the BW Research Partnership. The USEER analyzes data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) to track employment across many energy-production, -transmission, and -distribution subsectors. In addition, the 2022 USEER relies on a unique supplemental survey of 33,000 business representatives across the United States.
For more details on methodology see cleanjobsmidwest.com/survey-methodology.
Previous E2 and Evergreen Jobs Reports:
- Clean Jobs Midwest 2021
- Clean Jobs Midwest 2020
- Clean Jobs Midwest 2019
- Clean Jobs Midwest 2018
- Clean Jobs Midwest 2017
- Clean Jobs Midwest 2016
Additional Information:
- Report: Clean Jobs America 2022 (July 2022).
Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is a national, non-partisan group of business leaders, investors, and professionals from every sector of the economy who advocate for smart policies that are good for the economy and good for the environment. Our members have founded or funded more than 2,500 companies, created more than 600,000 jobs, and manage more than $100 billion in venture and private equity capital. For more information, see e2.org or follow us on Twitter at @e2org.
Evergreen Climate Innovations, formerly Clean Energy Trust, provides catalytic capital and support to entrepreneurs and start-ups that bring impactful climate technologies to market. The non-profit pioneered its 501vc® Investment Fund to align philanthropic and corporate contributions to deliver environmental, economic, and social impact. Evergreen advances and expands access to innovation across the Greater Midwest and cultivates an ecosystem of investors, donors, and collaborators. For over a decade, Evergreen Climate Innovations has invested in startups that have raised $37 for every $1 invested. Learn more at evergreeninno.org.
