7 amazing facts about green jobs

The Sustainable Energy Coalition lists 7 facts about the growing green jobs sector.

Wed, May 13 2009 at 11:20 PM EST

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The Sustainable Energy Coalition prepared some great factoids about green jobs in preparation for the renewable energy expo in D.C. Here are 7 amazing facts about green jobs and the growing green economy in the U.S.

. . . that worldwide the solar thermal industry employs at least 624,000 people, the wind power industry 300,000, and the solar PV industry 170,000; more than 1 million people work in the biomass and biofuels sector while small-scale hydropower employs 39,000 individuals; and in the U.S. alone geothermal employs 25,000.

. . . . that a major shift to renewable energy and energy efficiency is expected to produce at least 4.2 million new jobs, and perhaps many more new environmentally friendly “green jobs” over the next three decades.

. . . . that despite recent economic uncertainty, the three major clean-energy sectors — solar photovoltaics, wind power, and biofuels — kept up a blistering growth rate, increasing 53% from $75.8 billion in 2007 to $115.9 billion in revenues in 2008; by 2018, these three sectors will have revenues of $325.1 billion.

. . . . that there are more than 3,400 companies in the solar energy sector that employ 30,000 to 40,000 workers; it is projected to create 440,000 permanent jobs and spur $325 billion in private investment by 2016.

. . . . . that about 85,000 people are employed in the wind industry today, up from 50,000 a year ago; each megawatt of installed wind energy capacity creates 4.85 full-time jobs; wind turbine and turbine component manufacturers announced, added or expanded 70 new facilities in the past two years, including over 55 in 2008.

. . . that each $100 billion invested in transportation infrastructure and in green jobs would expand the economy's annual output by about $160 billion and generate approximately 1.1 million jobs while weatherizing a million homes annually would create about 78,000 jobs.

. . . . that energy efficiency improvements in Pennsylvania alone could save consumers nearly $5 billion each year on energy bills and help create 27,000 new, local jobs by 2025.

Also learn 7 amazing facts about renewable energy and energy efficiency.