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There’s been a lot of talk about the federal Inflation Reduction Act and the jobs it’s going to create in clean energy manufacturing and installation. But a big question remains: Who’s going to fill them?
The climate bill’s passage last year has already sparked more than 100,000 new clean energy jobs for electricians, mechanics, construction workers, and others, according to environmental coalition Climate Power. But with the U.S. already short hundreds of thousands of construction and manufacturing workers as of last year, companies will probably have a hard time hiring, Politico reports.
One possible hiring pool? The shrinking fossil fuel industry. Amid layoffs and cautious hiring at oil and gas companies, executives and workers say they’ve seen a steady movement of geologists, engineers and other former fossil fuel workers to renewable energy jobs, the New York Times reports.
Consulting firm McKinsey has its doubts, though. It projects the U.S. will see 550,000 new energy transition jobs by 2030, but people leaving the fossil fuel industry will fill just 10% of them.
That means it may start taking even longer to construct an offshore wind farm or put solar panels on a roof — and there’s no better time to consider a career change.
More clean energy news
🔥 How natural gas secured its future: U.S. gas companies have leveraged European supply crunches caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to secure long-term liquified natural gas contracts, locking in emissions for decades. (Guardian)
🏕️ Leave it better than you found it: The National Park Service is beginning the long journey of plugging and cleaning up an estimated 2,000 abandoned oil wells on agency-managed land. (New York Times)
🤠 Solar’s new top dog: Texas’ rapid solar additions position it to surpass California as the top state for utility-scale solar capacity as soon as this May. (Canary Media)
🌬️ Hurricanes move inland: New research suggests that as hurricanes head farther north and inland, millions more homes and businesses will see an increased risk of extreme wind damage. (Washington Post)
🏭 Environmental justice shortcomings: The Biden administration’s race-neutral environmental justice screening tool left out many majority non-White areas even though they face high pollution risks. (Grist)
🌊 Floating new ideas: The Biden administration released its blueprint for building up the floating offshore wind industry, including forthcoming reports on building transmission from turbines to the West Coast. (E&E News)
🚜 Cultivating clean energy: Advocates want Congress to “harmonize” clean energy incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Farm Bill to simplify and expand a rural clean energy program. (Energy News Network)
Job listings
- Energy Policy Assistant | NC Warn
- Senior Director, Global | Climate Imperative
- Regional Hubs Manager, Gulf Coast | Clean Air Task Force
- Manager, Energy Tech | Tulsa Innovation Labs
- Communications Manager | Clean Virginia
- Executive Director | U.S. Climate Action Network
For more information or to submit a job listing, visit our job board.
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