“Clean Energy” vs. Renewable Energy Jobs

by Guy Page

The solar power industry in Vermont employs about 1,680 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) workers, based on calculations derived from statistics in a 2017 report. The FTE for all renewable power jobs is about 4,500.

Total full-time and part-time renewable energy jobs (6,529) are down from an all-time high of 6,965 in 2016.

According to the 2017 Vermont Clean Energy Industry Report, issued by the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund, about 70% of renewable energy workers work fulltime. The report noted that while the total number of jobs fell, the average worker had a higher percentage of FTE than in 2016.

The total number of all 2017 part-time and full-time “clean energy” jobs is over 19,081. “The 19,081 figure represents all workers that spend any portion of their time on clean-energy business activities,” the report said. The highest percentage of jobs is in the energy efficiency sector (56%), followed by renewable power (34%), and clean transportation (7%).

The solar power industry remains the largest employer within the 6,529 renewable power sector, with almost 2,400 workers. When the 70% ratio is applied, the number of FTE solar power jobs this year is 1680.

The overall decline of renewable power employment was attributed to job losses in biofuels: “both woody and non-woody biomass fuels respectively declined by about 270 and 160 jobs.” The report cited as a reason the continued decline in the price of fossil fuels.

– Reprinted with permission from State House Headlines

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

William Hays November 18, 2017 at 6:57 am

I do think that the “renewable energy” jobs, as related to solar- and wind-generation, will soon drop to zero, as soon as our governments stop subsidizing them and giving them ‘tax breaks’. A big plus, for the taxpayers. Sorry, Bernie, and the other “Three Stooges” of the cabal.

Reply

Willem Post November 23, 2017 at 2:00 am

Guy,
Applying full time equivalent provides a much more realistic picture of the manhours involved in RE.
RE man hours = 4500 x 40h/w = 180,000/w, full time équivalent basis.
The entire Vermont economy likely has about 200,000 f.t.e. jobs.
That means RE is just a few percent of total manhours.

Reply

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post:

About Us

The Ethan Allen Institute is Vermont’s free-market public policy research and education organization. Founded in 1993, we are one of fifty-plus similar but independent state-level, public policy organizations around the country which exchange ideas and information through the State Policy Network.
Read more...

Latest News

VT Left Wing Media Bias Unmasks Itself

July 24, 2020 By Rob Roper Dave Gram was a long time reporter for the Associated Press, is currently the host of what’s billed on WDEV as a...

Using Guns for Self Defense – 3 Recent Examples

July 24, 2020 By John McClaughry  The Heritage Foundation’s Daily Signal last week published eleven news stories about citizens using a firearm to stop a crime. Here are...

FERC ruling on solar subsidies could help Vermont ratepayers

July 21, 2020 By John McClaughry Last Thursday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission finalized its updates to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), in what the majority...

The Moderate Left’s Stand for Free Speech

July 17, 2020 By David Flemming Harper’s Magazine, a long-running monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, is hardly what you would call a ‘politically...

Trump’s Regulatory Bill of Rights

July 16, 2020 by John McClaughry “President Trump [last May] issued an executive order entitled  ‘Regulatory Relief to Support Economic Recovery.’ The executive order includes a regulatory bill...

Video