Clean energy businesses in Minnesota added more than 1,900 workers in 2022, now employing 59,708 Minnesotans. The report comes after the one year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest investment in climate and clean energy in history, which is already boosting clean energy jobs and businesses across the state and region.
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Our vision is for Minnesota to have 100,000 clean energy jobs by 2030.
This was the state’s fastest-growing sector in 2022.
Clean energy jobs grew 50% faster than Minnesota’s overall job growth in 2022.
This includes growing hubs in St. Cloud, Duluth and Rochester.
Energy efficiency workers make up the largest portion of clean energy workers in Minnesota. These jobs might include manufacturing energy efficient windows and doors, or in construction working to retrofit buildings and save people money with efficient lighting or HVAC systems.
Workers who are employed in industries that generate power from wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal and low-impact hydro technologies are considered renewable generation workers.
Minnesotans who build and develop hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles, as well as those who develop clean fuels like biodiesel and non-corn ethanol from grasses or agricultural waste are also part of the clean energy sector.
In Minnesota, a growing sector of clean energy jobs are focused on advanced grid technologies that store energy on the grid and manage the distribution of energy to customers. People working in this sector are helping to modernize our electric grid and build a more efficient and resilient electricity system.
Energy efficiency jobs are the largest sector of clean energy employment in Minnesota comprising nearly 3 out of every 4 clean energy jobs in the state.
Minnesota’s second-largest sector of clean energy jobs is renewable energy, which employs more than 8,713 workers. Of note, the state’s advanced transportation sector grew 11% in 2022 – the fastest growing sector in Minnesota.
“Energy efficiency workers are the foundation of Minnesota’s clean energy economy. The need for these essential jobs will continue to grow as we work to decarbonize and electrify the state on its way to net-zero. Building a pipeline of skilled talent is important today and even more important for tomorrow. Implementing programs that champion workforce development will inspire more individuals to pursue energy careers and help to build a sustainable clean energy future here in Minnesota.”
Clean energy jobs can also be categorized by the role they play in the value chain. Each value chain category captures jobs from multiple clean energy sectors. For example, construction jobs can include energy efficiency jobs and renewable energy jobs.
Minnesota leads the region with the largest percentage of clean energy jobs in construction.
“Minnesota’s clean energy sector is proof that smart policy can enable steady job growth in the state. With a renewed focus on developing the next generation of energy efficiency and clean energy workers, Minnesota will solidify its leadership position in the Midwest as a clean energy powerhouse.”
While recent federal policies create strong tailwinds, there is still more to do to meet the nation’s climate goals of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030, improve equity in the clean energy economy and grow clean energy jobs. The state of Minnesota has committed itself to 100% clean energy by 2040 and net-zero economy-wide by 2050. To accomplish these goals, policymakers should:
Just one year after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, companies are investing at least $83 billion in large scale clean energy projects nationwide thanks to the federal climate investments in the new law. Attempts to rollback provisions of the federal clean energy incentives threaten future clean energy job growth and economic opportunity.
One of the largest barriers to clean energy job growth is the challenge to fill open positions. Workforce development and training will be critical to the continued growth of the industry; programs and coordination across private, public, and academia are critical to address this problem, with a specific focus on funding and expanding programs to deliver the clean energy jobs of the future.
Federal and state governments must work with Midwest regional transmission organizations to build and expand the electricity grid. Curtailment of wind projects is already taking place in Minnesota – reducing relied upon revenue due to the lack of transmission capacity.
Minnesota can cement its place as a leader in the clean energy transition with continued strong policy and implementation. This includes supporting the efficient buildout of transmission, easing the permitting process, solving the interconnection issues faced by renewable energy projects, attracting clean technology manufacturers and furthering a pragmatic approach to safe and responsible extraction of minerals key to the clean energy transition.
Connect with us on social media. Also, contact your legislator today to let them know that you support clean energy. The Minnesota Legislature makes it easy to identify who represents you in St. Paul. Click here to identify your legislators and contact them to let them know you support clean energy jobs in Minnesota.
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Download the media kitFor more information on the Clean Jobs Midwest report and the Minnesota report, please read our press release.
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