N.J. Clean Energy Jobs Growth Near Top Of Nation

New Jersey Ranks #4 For Green Energy Jobs Growth

With 36,000 or less than 1% of its workforce employed in clean energy industries, the Garden State hasn't historically been a green economic powerhouse, at least compared to states like California or Texas. But the Department of Energy's recent Energy Jobs Employment Report shows our turbines are spinning faster.

Last year, New Jersey ranked #4 nationwide in growth for renewable energy jobs. Only New Mexico, Kentucky, and Oklahoma performed better. 

A total of 3,065 clean energy jobs were added in the state in 2022, a 5.7% increase over 2021. That growth rate beats 3.9% nationwide for green jobs and 3.1% for the overall U.S. workforce. 

New Jersey even surpassed California, Oregon, and Washington, three states leading the nation in encouraging greater use of clean fuels, in job growth. They ranked #25, #36, and #41 with less impressive growth rates of 3.6%, 2.8%, and 2.5%, respectively.

Climate Change Driving Clean Energy Power Generation 

Catastrophic weather events like intensifying hurricanes and their connection to climate change are causing a shift in both New Jersey's job and energy markets. There are now more than three times as many workers in the state employed generating electricity from clean energy resources (solar, wind, and hydropower) than from fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, and oil).

The solar industry employed 8,781, followed by wind with 1,114 and hydropower with 289 for green electricity generation. Natural gas led the way for fossil-fuel-sourced power production with 1,952 employees followed by coal with 1,150 and oil with 86. 

Green Gas & Diesel Jobs Growing In New Jersey

N.J.'s biofuels industry employed 297 in 2022, including 71 in corn ethanol, 110 in other ethanol, and 116 in woody biomass, which is still a slight improvement from 2021's 243, but still lag far behind national leaders like Oregon and California, both of which have adopted clean fuel standards to incentivize private companies to produce more of the less polluting fuel within their state borders.

Oil and other petroleum processing employment went up in 2022 by 700 jobs, thanks to increased exports of U.S. petroleum as a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

U.S. Created 300K New Green Energy Jobs In 2022

Overall, the nation created 300,000 new green energy jobs, bringing the total number of Americans working in the field in 2022 to 8.1 million. 

California, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, and Ohio ranked in top five for most new clean energy jobs while New Jersey ranked #12.

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Nearly 300,000 New Jobs In 2022