Virus Guts U.S. Clean-Energy Jobs Gained Since ‘17, Report Says

(Bloomberg) -- Almost 600,000 U.S. clean-energy workers have lost their jobs since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, more than double the number of positions that had been created in the industry since 2017, according to a report.

The analysis of U.S. Labor Department data found that nearly 18% of the industry’s workforce had filed for unemployment benefits in March and April, according to the assessment from groups including E2 and the American Council on Renewable Energy. The hardest-hit states include California and Texas, two of America’s biggest renewables markets.

Clean energy, with industries including energy efficiency, renewables and vehicles, had been one of the country’s biggest job creators in recent years. But the pandemic has curtailed electricity demand, and stay-at-home orders have limited access to some residents, prompting companies in the industry to shed jobs. The report Wednesday forecasts that 850,000 clean-energy workers will have filed for unemployment by the end of next month.

Claims for unemployment benefits in energy-efficiency exceeded 413,000 in March and April, while there were nearly 96,000 claims in renewables over that period, according to the report.

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