Alternative Energy

According to the EIA, the United States consumed 93.59 quadrillion British thermal units (Btus) of energy in 2023. The consumption of renewable energy totaled 8.24 quadrillion Btus. Biofuels consumption achieved the most significant increase (32 percent), followed by wood consumption (23%). Approximately 60 percent of all renewable energy consumption was attributable to biomass, and increase from 45 percent in 2018.

The EIA projected that energy consumption would increase in all major end-use categories (residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation) through 2050. However, total U.S. energy consumption is expected to be offset by improvements in efficiency. This will result in declines in energy intensity, which the agency defines as "the amount of energy consumed per unit of potential demand." The transportation sector, specifically, should experience the most noteworthy decrease in energy intensity because of more stringent vehicle standards for energy efficiency and fuel economy. The EIA anticipates that the consumption of non-hydroelectric renewable energy will achieve the most significant percentage growth in the coming decades.

The EIA also reports that U.S. shipments (including imports, exports, and domestic shipments) of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules totaled nearly 31.7 million kilowatts (KW) in 2022, up from 28.9 million KW in 2021, and a significant increase from the 2.6 million KW back in 2010. Most solar PV panels installed in the United States have been connected to the national grid since 2004. These include solar systems on homes, buildings, and central-station power facilities. The EIA indicated that solar power surpassed biomass as a renewable electricity source in 2023..

The outlook for alternative energy jobs depends on the sector. Some sectors are expected to experience much higher growth than others. According to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council's National Solar Jobs Census 2022, the solar energy sector employed 263,883 workers, representing a 3.5 percent increase from 2021. The council noted that employment was in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The increase in jobs in 2022 also stemmed from the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, a law that includes energy and climate policies. As a result, the council predicts faster growth in solar and other clean energy industries in the coming years.

Wind energy also was on a growth trajectory at the end of the decade. According to figures from the American Clean Power Association (ACPA), more than 72,000 wind turbines across the United States generate a total of 151 gigawatts (GW). Wind power is now among the largest sources of electricity generation capacity in this country; it is enough wind power to provide electricity to about 46 million home. The ACPA reports that approximately 126,000 people work in the wind industry, an increase over the 114,000 employed in 2018. The association noted that, over the previous 10 years, more than $148 billion had been invested in new wind projects, helping wind power to become the nation's leading source of renewable generating capacity. In 2023 alone, $10 billion was invested in new wind projects. The wind industry is expected to continue growing, and demand for wind turbine technicians is expected to increase by 44 percent in the next decade.

Geothermal power plants operated in seven states as of 2023, according to the EIA. Collectively, they produced about 0.4 percent of the nation's overall utility-scale electricity, or about 17 billion killowatt hours. California dominated geothermal electricity generation, accounting for 66.6 percent of the total, followed by Nevada (26.1%). Other states included Utah (3.2%), Hawaii (2.1%), Oregon (1.3%), Idaho (0.5%), and New Mexico (0.2%).

There is a broad range of salaries available in the alternative energy sector. Engineers typically earn the higher salaries, while field workers and operators earn lower salaries but can eventually earn higher salaries. For example, wind energy field workers can start out as low as $15 per hour, but after a number of years, they may earn up to $50 per hour.

Factors driving the demand for workers in the alternative energy industry are primarily the public demand for them, and government support encouraging their use. Building the infrastructure that allows wind and solar energy producers to join the national grid is costly. Taxpayer and government support is critical if these sectors are to continue to grow.

The alternative energy industry experience delayed projects in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The cost of renewable energy decreased in conjunction with the drop in fossil fuels usage, due to the lockdowns and quarantining. As described in an energy industry report by Deloitte, in 2020, decarbonization plans continued in states, cities, utilities and businesses, despite the pandemic and the economic recession. The demand for clean energy in the U.S. continued to be resilient, edging out "other electricity generation sources when electric demand fell...". Since then, the alternative energy industry has grown and new projects continue to increase. The Energy Information Industry predicts that renewable energy will account for 44 percent of U.S. power generation by 2050, a jump from 21 percent in 2021. Much of the renewable energy will be from wind and solar power. Continued growth in the alternative energy industry is also expected since the U.S. rejoined the Paris Climate Accord in 2021, which should accelerate action by governments around the world to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy by 2030. Federal support could also help with the expansion of new technologies, particularly green hydrogen production and storage.