Advanced energy jobs increased 5% last year, soundly beating state’s overall jobs growth rate

TALLAHASSEE, September 23, 2020 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) reported the latest employment data in a new fact sheet showing that Florida had 182,100 people working in advanced energy in 2019. This represents more workers than in Real Estate (148,084) and triple those working in Agriculture (57,336). Nationwide, there were 3.6 million advanced energy workers.

Florida advanced energy employment increased 5% last year, more than double
the state’s overall jobs growth of 2%. The largest jobs segments were Energy Efficiency with 123,600 workers (68%), Advanced Electricity Generation employing 39,600 (22%), and Advanced Vehicles with 9,100 (5%) employed. Growth was led by Solar Energy (17%), Wind (9%), Efficient HVAC (8%), along with Energy Storage and Smart Grid (6% each). A 3% downturn in Advanced Vehicles jobs in 2019 followed a stunning 19% increase in workers the year before.

“With more than 182,000 workers in Florida, the advanced energy industry is
now a significant segment of the state’s workforce and economy,” said Ebo Entsuah, Policy Principal with AEE. “Given the growth trends we see, particularly in solar energy, storage and electric vehicles, advanced energy is poised to drive economic recovery and growth as we move beyond the COVID-19 health crisis.”

Key 2019 Florida employment data are summarized in a fact sheet include:

• Energy efficiency leads with more than 123,600 workers or 68% of total advanced energy employment in the state, showing strong growth in efficient HVAC (8%).

• Advanced electricity generation supports 39,600 jobs or 22% of total, with growth led by solar (17%) employing 12,300 workers and wind (9%) with 4,900 workers; hydropower grew 34% reaching 500 jobs.

• Advanced vehicles employs 9,100 (5%); a 3% decline in 2019 followed a stunning 19% increase in 2018.

• Advanced grid & storage employs 5,500 workers, with energy storage and smart grid jobs up 6% each last year.

• Top 5 counties were: Miami-Dade (20,000); Palm Beach (19,000); Orange (17,300); Hillsborough (16,900); and Broward (15,900).

• Employers expected a 2% increase in advanced energy jobs for 2020 when surveyed late last year before the COVID-19 health crisis hit.

The 2019 data for the Florida employment fact sheet was derived from the 2020 U.S. Energy and Employment Report produced by the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) in association with the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and collected and analyzed by BW Research Partnership, as well as data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Another important trend driving advanced energy jobs growth in Florida is strong corporate demand for renewables to meet their sustainability goals, quantified in this AEE report released late last year.

About Advanced Energy Economy:
Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) is a national association of businesses that are making the energy we use secure, clean, and affordable. Advanced energy encompasses a broad range of products and services that constitute the best
available technologies for meeting energy needs today and tomorrow. AEE’s
mission is to transform public policy to enable rapid growth of advanced energy
businesses. Engaged at the federal level and in more than a dozen states around the country, including Florida, AEE represents more than 100 companies in the $238 billion U.S. advanced energy industry, which employs 3.6 million U.S. workers. Learn more at www.aee.net, track the latest news @AEEnet.