The Clean Jobs Illinois report found that 96,785 workers statewide spend some portion of their day supporting clean energy. Energy efficiency accounts for almost two-third (62 percent) of the jobs, while renewable energy accounts for 28 percent.
The report shows that federal, state, and local policies have a major impact on clean energy jobs. The expiration of the Production Tax Credit for wind energy has hurt job growth nationwide, and is partly responsible for the contraction of renewable energy employment in Illinois by 0.2 percent. Other policies, such as a state law demanding utilities reduce energy demand by two percent per year, have helped increase employment in the clean energy sector. The report also highlights areas in which policymakers could help the clean energy sector, primarily by incentivizing clean energy investment by providing rebates, removing various taxes, and generally providing support for clean energy policies, such as strengthening renewable energy portfolio standards.