Wisconsin’s clean energy sector that was growing 1.5 times to twice as fast as statewide employment before COVID, has lost 1 in 7 clean energy workers in three months according to the Clean Jobs Midwest report released in June. Based on data compiled for the 2020 US Energy Employment Report (2020 USEER), the analyses show that 11,300 Wisconsinites lost their jobs of the 76,685 workers in clean energy at the end of 2019.
Eighty-three percent of Wisconsin’s clean energy industry in 2019 was comprised of energy efficiency jobs. More than half of all jobs were construction jobs and one quarter manufacturing. Small businesses of fewer than 20 employees make up 69 percent of the state’s clean energy businesses.
Although job loss continues, the pace is slowing with 500 jobs lost in May compared to about 8,000 in April. The highest job losses were observed in urban areas of Dane, Waukesha, and Milwaukee Counties. In the Midwest, more than 131,600 clean energy workers lost their jobs, while nationwide, the total exceeds 620,000 workers. Currently, the most stable clean energy jobs are solar installers who are able to work outside during the pandemic. Clean Jobs Midwest 2020 Wisconsin Fact Sheet