WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released the agency’s second annual analysis of how changes in America’s energy profile are affecting national employment in key sectors of the economy. By administering a new supplemental survey to over 30,000 energy sector employers, the Department’s 2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) tracked dramatic growth in several key sectors of the U.S. economy in 2016.

“This report verifies the dynamic role that our energy technologies and infrastructure play in a 21st century economy,” said David Foster, senior advisor on industrial and economic policy. “Whether producing natural gas or solar power at increasingly lower prices or reducing our consumption of energy through smart grids and fuel efficient vehicles, energy innovation is proving itself as the important driver of economic growth in America, producing 14 percent of the new jobs in 2016.”

Some key findings of the report include:

• 6.4 million Americans now work in the traditional energy and energy efficiency industries ,which added over 300,000 net new jobs in 2016, 14 percent of the nation’s job growth;
• Energy-efficiency jobs increased by 133,000 jobs for a total of 2.2 million;
• Investments in energy transmission, distribution and storage (our energy infrastructure) generated 65,000 new jobs;
• Solar industry employment jumped by over 73,000 jobs or 25 percent; and
• Wind industry employment added 25,000 new jobs to land at 102,000.

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