106,000 U.S. Jobs in Renewable Sector Lost

More than 106,000 clean energy workers lost their jobs in March and hundreds of thousands more are predicted to lose their jobs in clean energy in the coming months. These are the findings of a new analysis of unemployment figures published by E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), E4TheFuture and BW Research Partnership.

The analysis of data from the Department of Labor found that 106,472 workers in clean-energy-related occupations applied for unemployment benefits last month, nullifying all job gains in 2019 in 'green jobs' in renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric mobility, energy storage and clean fuels. These include electricians, HVAC and mechanical tradesmen and construction workers working in energy efficiency, solar installers, engineers and technicians in the wind industry and manufacturing workers employed by companies and suppliers of electric and other clean vehicles.

In fact, the green jobs sector has been considered a growth engine for jobs in recent years. Since 2015, an increase of 10.4 percent has been recorded here. At the end of 2019, an estimated 3.4 million people were employed in this sector. However, the corona pandemic has now rendered this figure obsolete. It is estimated that 500,000 jobs will be lost in the renewable energy sector if the government does not act quickly and provide financial support for this sector in a further stimulus package.