Energy-Efficiency Jobs Continue to Boom in Ohio
STORY BY: Mary Schuermann Kuhlman, Public News Service – OH
September 17, 2019
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Energy-efficiency jobs are booming in Ohio, and the pace is not expected to slow any time soon. According to a report released Monday, Ohio added more than 2,000 energy-efficiency jobs in 2018. That’s a nearly 5% increase – compared with the overall state employment growth rate of less than 1%.
Dave Rinebolt, executive director at Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy, said he’s not surprised.
“Back in the mid-70s, when we launched low-income weatherization, we really started the trend to focusing on energy efficiency in buildings and in equipment,” Rinebolt said. “It’s great to see that the industry has grown to over 80,000 jobs in Ohio.”
Ohio ranks ninth nationally for energy-efficiency jobs. Nationally, energy-efficiency jobs grew by 3.4% in 2018, and are projected to increase 7.8% in 2019.
More than 10,000 energy-efficiency businesses operate in Ohio, with a majority of them involved in construction or manufacturing. Rinebolt said it’s a good business to be in.
“It’s a business that focuses on managing our natural resources and maximizing the impact of those resources,” he said. “And it’s important to note that there are more energy-efficiency jobs in Ohio than there are jobs related to the fossil-fuel industry.”
Energy-efficiency jobs cannot be exported, and include home weatherization and the construction of energy-saving appliances and lighting, as well as high-tech design, software and professional services.
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