Clean Jobs Midwest Minnesota report
The clean energy industry continues to drive family-sustaining job creation in Minnesota, adding nearly 1,700 jobs across the
state last year. Close to 64,000 Minnesotans now work in energy efficiency, renewable energy, electric vehicle manufacturing, and other
clean energy-related fields, an increase of over 2 percent from a year earlier.
Key findings from the report
clean energy jobs in Minnesota
Clean Energy Economy MN’s goal is to have 100,000 clean energy jobs in our state by 2030.
faster than Minnesota's overall job growth rate
Minnesota’s clean energy jobs grew two times faster than the overall economy at 1% in 2024.
in construction and professional services
Construction and professional services drive Minnesota’s clean energy sector, accounting for 70.7% of the state’s clean energy jobs.
of Minnesota's clean energy workforce are veterans
Veterans account for 11.1% of the state’s clean energy workforce compared to 4.0% in the broader workforce.
“Minnesota’s clean energy economy is creating opportunity in every region of our state. These jobs are good for families, good for businesses, and good for the future of our communities. The latest Clean Jobs Midwest report shows what’s possible when we combine smart policy with the innovation and hard work of Minnesotans.”
Tim Walz
Governor of Minnesota
Clean energy jobs by sector
Energy efficiency leads all clean energy job sectors, comprising over two-thirds of the state’s clean energy jobs. The sector grew by nearly 1,700 jobs, the most of any category. Over 46,000 Minnesotans manufacture energy-efficient appliances, install efficient lighting and heat pumps as well as other highly efficient heating and cooling systems, or work in other energy efficiency-related jobs.
Renewable energy is the state’s second-largest clean energy employer with 9,000 jobs, driven in part by a 1.1 percent increase in solar jobs. Clean grid and storage jobs climbed to more than 3,100 jobs, up 2.6 percent from the previous year.
The clean vehicle sector, covering electric vehicles, hybrids, plug in hybrids, and hydrogen or fuel-cell technologies, was the only segment of Minnesota’s clean energy economy not to grow last year. Employment dropped to just over 4,500 jobs, dipping by around 223 positions.
“Minnesota is proving that smart, stable energy policy is good for both our economy and our communities. 2024 was another record-breaking year with nearly 64,000 Minnesotans working in clean energy. These local jobs are providing stable, family-supporting careers in every part of the state and are critical to ensuring our energy remains affordable, reliable, and secure.”
Gregg Mast
Executive Director, Clean Energy Economy MN
What are the demographics of the industry?
Get more detailed information in the full report
Policy to support clean energy in Minnesota
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act aggressively winds down long-standing energy efficiency, wind, solar, and electric vehicle tax credits. Policy instability threatens to derail the development of needed energy generation projects to meet load growth demand, increase energy costs, and slow the rapid onshoring of domestic clean energy manufacturing. Nationally, businesses have canceled, closed, and scaled back more than $22 billion* worth of new projects and factories, which will have a significant impact on clean energy employment.
To retain some of the clean energy projects that are fueling the economy by creating jobs, keeping energy costs down, and helping meet rising energy demand, policymakers should:
01.
Align permitting with federal energy policy trajectory
As the federal government shifts implementation policies and tax credits for clean energy projects, Minnesota should support federal environmental permitting reform and encourage the federal government to support policies that create market stability and job growth.
02.
Power data centers with clean energy
The rapid rise in data centers is contributing to unprecedented energy demand. As Minnesota grapples with how to integrate the high energy demand of these centers, it must prioritize energy efficiency and clean solutions. Renewables such as solar and wind, along with storage, are the most reliable, resilient, and affordable forms of new energy to rapidly deploy.
03.
Prioritize new transmission
With Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s approval of Tranche 2.1 last year, the region must maintain momentum by ensuring important new transmission lines are built in a timely fashion, ensuring the delivery of low-cost, reliable, clean energy needed to meet rising electricity demand.
04.
Advance state-level clean energy policies
Minnesota lawmakers should work to fast-track renewable energy deployment before federal tax credits expire and enact existing state incentives and programs that will help fill new gaps created by federal policy changes
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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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For more information on the Clean Jobs Midwest report and the Minnesota report, please read our press release.
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