New Report Showing Strong Growth in Clean Energy

October 12, 2022

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Gov. Whitmer Highlights New Report Showing Strong Growth in Clean Energy & Transportation Sector, Up to Nearly 120,000 Workers

Clean energy businesses added 6,300 workers in 2021, advanced transportation sector grows 21%

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer highlighted a new report from Clean Jobs Midwest showing that Michigan’s clean energy workforce is nearly 120,000 strong, up 5.6% overall compared to 2020. The growth is driven by a 22% increase in the electric vehicle manufacturing subsector, with a majority of the overall jobs in energy efficiency. This news builds on a report from the U.S. Department of Energy released earlier this year showing Michigan as the #1 state in the nation for energy sector job growth.

“Michigan is leading the future of clean manufacturing,” said Governor Whitmer. “From our work on economic development to attract job-creating electric vehicle, battery, and chip projects, to our programs offering workers tuition-free paths to higher education or skills training, or our investments in the kitchen-table issues that matter most to working families—child care, education, water, roads—we are working across the aisle to grow our economy. The report from Clean Jobs Midwest proves that our efforts are working, as Michigan added more than 6,300 new clean energy workers last year, driven by 21% growth in workers building electric vehicles and batteries, to increase the total clean jobs workforce to nearly 120,000 strong. Let’s keep the momentum.”

Clean Jobs Michigan: A Return to Rapid Growth, with Clean Vehicle Jobs Driving Ahead

According to an analysis of data from the 2021 U.S. Energy Employment Report by Evergreen Climate Innovations and Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), Michigan clean energy businesses added more than 6,300 new workers in 2021, employing a total of 119,853 people across the state. Clean energy jobs grew 6% in 2021, driven by advanced transportation, which grew by 21%, adding more than 5,210 jobs and now employing 29,484 workers statewide. Nationwide, clean energy employment grew 5%, growing to 3.2 million workers.

Despite recent, strong growth, clean energy jobs still have significant room to grow in Michigan. Implementing the goals of Governor Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan will be critical to create more clean energy, energy efficiency, and electric vehicle jobs in Michigan. And with billions in resources incoming as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, Michigan has an enormous opportunity to create tens of thousands more jobs in the coming years.

To harness the full potential of economic benefits from both federal laws, state and federal coordination is essential. That’s why Governor Whitmer signed executive directives to prepare the state to effectively utilize the CHIPS and Science Act and three to use the Inflation Reduction Act to lower costs for families, lower the cost of doing business, and create more good-paying jobs.

Michigan: #1 for Energy Job Growth

Michigan has been ranked #1 in the nation for energy job growth according to the U.S. Energy and Employment Jobs Report (USEER). The state added 35,463 energy sector jobs from 2020 to 2021, more than any other state in the nation. Michigan’s 393,207 energy workers represent 5% of all U.S. energy jobs and 9.5% of state jobs.

Michigan’s “Climate, Clean Energy Comeback”

A recent report from RMI found that Governor Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan would cut the state’s emissions in half, build on the state’s manufacturing strengths, revitalize the auto industry, and protect the state’s natural resources. It would also create 64,000 new manufacturing jobs by 2030 because of solar, wind, electric vehicle, and other clean energy investments, increase GDP by at least 2% alone, and slash heating, cooling, and gas bills for families with more energy efficiency and electrification.

Governor Whitmer’s Clean Energy Job Investments 

Governor Whitmer is committed to growing Michigan’s economy and creating clean energy jobs. Early in her administration, she made administrative changes to help build the largest solar array east of the Mississippi River. The governor also took steps to ensure that all State of Michigan facilities will be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2025 and worked to responsibly deploy solar and electric vehicle charging stations on state-owned property and land.

The governor has signed four bipartisan budgets since taking office, investing tens of millions of dollars in clean energy improvements and upgrades for state facilities, families, local governments, houses of worship, and small businesses. Her budgets have also consistently invested in Michigan Saves, the nation’s first nonprofit green bank supporting small businesses and working families with financing energy improvements.

Investing in the Future of Mobility and Electrification

Governor Whitmer has helped Michigan build on its legacy and leadership in mobility. Since she took office, the state has announced over 30,000 good-paying auto jobs.

Last year, she worked across the aisle to enact a historic, bipartisan economic development package empowering Michigan to win big projects and create thousands of good-paying jobs. The package helped Michigan secure a $7 billion investment from GM, creating and retaining 5,000 jobs; a $1.7 billion investment from battery-maker LG Energy Solution creating 1,200 jobs; a $2 billion investment from Ford creating more than 3,200 jobs; a $2.36 billion investment from battery-maker Gotion creating 2,350 jobs; and a $1.6 billion investment from Our Next Energy creating 2,112 jobs.

The governor launched mobility-focused workforce and talent initiatives like the EV Jobs Academy and the Mobility Talent Action Team to prepare Michigan’s workforce for future electric vehicle and component manufacturing jobs. She has spearheaded a number of public-private partnerships including REV-Midwest, a 5-state regional electric vehicle charging network; the Lake Michigan Circuit, an electric vehicle route around Lake Michigan with electric vehicle chargers in state parks; and pioneering projects like CAVNUE, a corridor for autonomous vehicle testing, and a road that charges electric vehicles wirelessly while they are moving.

The bipartisan budget she signed this summer—her fourth—included funding for a transformational education project focused on research and mobility centric workforce training at the University of Michigan.