US renewables jobs halve to 5,600 in Q1 2014 - E2

May 23, 2014 - The jobs announcements within the US renewable energy and clean transportation industries amounted to 5,600 in the first quarter of 2014, down from 12,000 a year earlier, business group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) said Thursday.

The decline reflects the federal government's inaction on key renewable energy policies such as the Production Tax Credit (PTC) and uncertainty over incentive programmes on state level, the organisation said in a report.

E2, which is a non-partisan group formed by business leaders and investors, still believes there is hope to reverse the downward employment trend. Moves that can help achieve that throughout the US include the renewal of the PTC for the wind sector or the introduction of new carbon pollution standards, which is expected June.

The states of Idaho, Texas and California accounted for most jobs in the sector in January-March. Idaho, which headed the ranking, provided the most renewable energy jobs through a major geothermal project. In view of the announced renewable energy projects in the first quarter, E2 expects the Aguacaliente’s 25-MW geothermal scheme to create jobs for 800 people in Idaho. Also, First Solar Inc’s (NASDAQ:FSLR) 22-MW Barilla solar project in Texas will provide employment to 350 people.

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