It’s a Fact: Wind Energy Is Putting People to Work
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This is an excerpt from our free e-book, It’s a Breeze: The Facts about Wind Energy.
Demand for wind power is growing, and that means the industry needs workers to help fulfill that demand. Between 2007 and 2017, global wind power capacity (or the maximum amount of power output of all the turbines in the world) grew by about 500 percent, or five times what is was. And the industry is expected to keep growing. In 2017, more than 1.15 million people were employed by the wind industry around the globe. That’s incredible!
REN21, 2018, Renewables 2018 Global Status Report Paris, REN21 Secretariat
In the US, wind turbine service technician is projected to be the second fastest-growing job in the nation through 2026, right behind solar PV installer. Better yet, these are blue-collar jobs that pay well; in 2017, an American wind turbine technician could expect to be paid $53,880 per year – or about $28 an hour.
In some cases, wind energy has even put laid-off fossil fuel industry workers back on the job, earning money for their families. After layoffs and plunging oil prices devastated their communities, some oil workers in Alberta, Canada, have retrained to work in renewable energy. As one said, “Oil and gas used to be our bread and butter, but it isn't anymore.”
“The current market for wind energy technicians is very, very bright.”
David Halligan
CEO of Goldwind Americas
Get the Facts in Our Free New E-Book
In our brand-new e-book, we get straight to the facts about wind energy – because there’s a lot of good news to share.
Costs keep falling. The sector keeps putting more and more people to work. And growing numbers of cities, states, countries, and companies around the world are embracing wind as a powerful tool to cut emissions and create a sustainable future.
Big Polluters are blowing a lot of hot hair about wind energy. But you can download our free e-book now and help spread the facts.