Energy Storage Job Growth
- In 2023, clean energy storage employed about 89,592 workers, marking a 4.4% increase (3,734 jobs) over 2022, consistent with previous growth rates around 4.5%.
- Energy storage jobs are growing at more than twice the rate of the overall U.S. economy, about 4.9% annually, reflecting a booming market driven by expanding battery and storage installations.
- Between 2019 and 2024, U.S. energy storage market value surged by 737%, from $645 million to nearly $5.4 billion, indicating rapid sector growth.
- Projections estimate U.S. energy storage capacity to more than double from 2020 to 2026, supported by increasing deployment linked to solar and wind generation growth and state development goals.
Solar and Wind Job Growth
- While exact figures are not detailed in these results, clean energy overall—including solar, wind, zero-emission vehicles, and transmission—grew by 4.2% in 2023, more than twice the rate of the overall energy sector.
- Solar and wind are leading components of clean energy job expansion, but labor requirements per megawatt in these sectors are projected to decline over time due to technological improvements and efficiency gains, possibly slowing job growth intensity per unit of capacity added.
Comparison Summary
| Aspect | Energy Storage | Solar & Wind Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Job growth rate (2023) | ~4.4% – 4.9% annually | ~4.2% annually (clean energy overall growth) |
| Workforce size (2023) | ~89,600 workers | Larger total workforce, but specific numbers not provided in results |
| Market growth (2019-2024) | +737% in market value | Significant growth but with declining labor per MW |
| Key drivers | Integration with renewables, battery tech demand, state goals | Expansion of renewable generation capacity, improving tech efficiency |
| Job diversity | Wide range including construction, engineering, IT, finance | Mainly installation, operations, manufacturing |
Conclusions
Energy storage job growth is robust, slightly outpacing the average job growth rate in clean energy and the overall economy. Its rapid expansion is primarily due to the increasing need for storage technologies to complement intermittent solar and wind power. Solar and wind continue to grow strongly but face labor efficiency improvements that may moderate job growth per unit of energy capacity added. Together, the sectors are critical and complementary drivers of clean energy employment growth in the U.S.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-does-the-job-growth-in-energy-storage-compare-to-solar-and-wind-energy-sectors/
