Wind Energy Industry Workers

The wind industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the renewable-energy industry. This growth can be attributed primarily to lower production costs. Better technology and equipment have lowered the cost of wind-generated electricity by about 80 percent in the past 20 years; this almost matches the cost of electricity generated by conventional sources such as coal or nuclear power.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, a record 6,309 MW of additional wind capacity came online during the first nine months of 2020, pushing the nation's total number of wind turbines beyond 60,000. As the new decade began, wind turbines could be found in 41 states, and in Puerto Rico and Guam. "U.S. wind power has more than tripled over the past decade, and today is the largest source of renewable electricity in the country," the AWEA explains.

According to the Department of Labor, wind turbine service technicians will have 61 percent employment growth through 2029. This is a small field, however, so competition for jobs will still be keen. There will also be good opportunities for engineers, meteorologists, electricians, and others in the wind industry.