NEW SURVEY: California's Advanced Energy Industry Has More Than Half a Million Workers, Up 18% from Last Year

At just over 500,000 workers, advanced energy employs three times as many Californians as the motion picture, TV, and radio industry (145,000); more than agriculture, forestry, and fishing (475,000); and approaching construction (750,000). California has the largest advanced energy industry by employment of any state in the country.

See full release with background links here (https://www.aee.net/articles/new-survey-california-s-advanced-energy-industry-up-18-percent-from-last-year)

"California is the nation's leader in advanced energy policy and that leadership is paying off in jobs for Californians," said Graham Richard, CEO of Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), a national business association with many member companies in California, and the AEE Institute, its affiliated nonprofit educational organization. "Advanced energy jobs have grown at a much faster rate than jobs overall, and employers expect that to continue. That's good news for advanced energy companies and for the California economy."

Report Findings:

• Advanced energy employed an estimated 508,000 Californians in 2015 – an increase of 18% over 2014, which is six times the overall state job growth rate of 3%.
• Advanced energy workers make up 3% of Calif. state workforce.
• Employers expect to add 8% more jobs this year, to reach nearly 550,000.
• Energy Efficiency has largest share of advanced energy jobs – 63%, about 320,000 workers.
• Employment more than doubled in Advanced Grid segment (smart grid, storage, electric vehicle charging technologies).
• Greatest increase in number of jobs came in Advanced Generation; with nearly 80% of these jobs in solar. Advanced Generation employment grew 50% over 2014, creating almost 48,000 new jobs.
• Advanced Transportation (hybrid, electric, natural gas vehicles) saw impressive growth, adding just under 7,000 new workers, 65% more than in 2014.
• The only Advanced Fuels lost jobs last year (50%, about 8,000 jobs), including biofuels and biomass, impacted by low oil and gasoline prices.
• California's advanced energy workforce is quite diverse, with 38% being racial/ethnic minorities.
• California has nearly 43,000 companies engaged in advanced energy as part or all of their business activity.
• California's advanced energy industry is primarily small businesses, but shifting toward larger establishments as industry matures. 

"With triple the job growth rate of any other sector in our state, clean energy is a major source of job creation in California," said Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles). "This report shows that policy supporting clean energy is not just good for California's environment and air but also good for our economy."

"California continues to lead the nation in energy and climate policy," said Chair of the California Air Resources Board Mary Nichols, "and this report makes it clear that the advanced energy industry in California is flourishing in response. Our actions and policies to fight climate change are cleaning the air and generating tens of thousands of new businesses and jobs."

About AEE and the AEE Institute
Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) is a national association of businesses that are making the energy we use secure, clean, and affordable. AEE's mission is to transform public policy to enable the rapid growth of advanced energy companies. The Advanced Energy Economy Institute is a nonprofit educational and charitable organization whose mission is to raise awareness of the public benefits and opportunities of advanced energy.

Media Contact:
Monique Hanis, [email protected], (202) 391-0884

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SOURCE Advanced Energy Economy Institute