Report: Clean Energy Sector Job Growth Outpaces CT Average

HARTFORD, CT — A new report shows that even while overall job growth in Connecticut has been sluggish, the clean energy sector created jobs at four times the rate of the rest of the economy.

The 2025 Connecticut Clean Energy Industry Report, produced for the Connecticut Green Bank by mandate of the General Assembly, shows clean energy sector employment in the state grew by 2.8% in 2024, four times faster than the 0.7% general statewide employment growth.

The increase brings clean energy employment up to just over 10% of total jobs in the state, with more than 47,000 jobs, the highest total ever. Technology sectors which fall under the clean energy designation in the report include energy efficiency, clean energy generation, alternative transportation, clean grid and storage, and clean fuels.

“The data presented here underscore the continued strength and resilience of Connecticut’s clean energy economy,” said Brenda Watson, executive director of The North Hartford Partnership and chair of the joint committee which produced the report. “In 2024, clean energy employment reached a new record … reinforcing the sector’s role as a cornerstone of Connecticut’s economic future.”

While employment figures in the clean energy sector rose, the overall economic impact of the burgeoning industry remained flat. According to the report, the clean energy economy generated about $7 billion in gross regional product (GRP) in 2024, accounting for 2.4% of the state’s overall GRP. That figure has remained roughly unchanged since 2019.

Sam Schneider, co-founder and CEO of Earthlight Solar and Energy Solutions, started his business 18 years ago. Earthlight started in the energy efficiency industry and began working in solar panels in 2012. Schneider said the past five years had been his biggest growth years, due to residential and commercial interest in renewable energy and battery storage. 

Schneider said he’s seen more new employees come in who are driven by a sense of mission. 

“We absolutely have noticed older demographics of people, who had a great career in some other industry, but who now are looking to, in the final five or 10 years of their career, make a big difference and do something that really helps people,” he said. “We also employ quite a few young people as well, and we certainly see the desire for people to be in the renewable world to help and make a difference.”

Still, the clean energy sector in the state faces serious challenges. The Trump administration, which has denied climate change, cut support for renewable energy and targeted clean energy projects for termination. In December 2025, the administration ordered halts to five offshore wind projects around the country, including the Revolution Wind project which was built to provide clean energy to Connecticut and Rhode Island. While a court order in January cleared the way for the project to be completed, Schneider said that the state needs to continue to protect and support clean energy.

“There’s definitely some big concerns about where the programs are headed for Connecticut and it doesn’t look very favorable, which is really unfortunate because this is a time where we could use the state to step up and help out, especially with tax credits being cut from the federal level,” Schneider said, referring to potential changes to the clean energy sector being proposed in the General Assembly this year.