As presidential candidates Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump prepare to face off in their first debate Tuesday night, voters will be watching closely for clarity on their plans to address issues including the economy, inflation and job growth.
One sector facing uncertainty after the election is clean energy, which has received a boost from the Biden administration but faced skepticism from Trump.
Climate change and the move toward more sustainable energy have fueled job growth in the sector in recent years, thanks to funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Chips and Science Act. Recent data from the Department of Energy shows that clean energy employment increased by about 142,000 jobs last year, accounting for more than half of new jobs in the energy sector.
The rate was more than double the growth for the rest of the energy sector and the U.S. economy as a whole, according to the newly released U.S. Energy and Employment Report 2024.
Since the IRA and the CHIPS and Science Act were implemented, there has been “greater long-term certainty” regarding jobs related to energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate resilience, according to the nonprofit Institute for Environmental and Energy Studies. The IRA is expected to create more than 300,000 jobs annually to build new energy projects and about 100,000 permanent jobs each year, according to the Institute for Environmental and Energy Studies.
While job growth in the sector faces uncertainty after the election, industry watchers say the future of energy production and consumption is ever-changing.
“Energy systems have been in a state of transition for decades — they are always in a state of transition, they are always in a state of flux,” said Daniel Brissette, president of EESI, of the impact of the upcoming election.
Ameresco, which integrates clean technology and develops, owns and operates renewable energy projects, is moving forward with its hiring plans regardless of the election outcome. The company will add about 300 employees in the U.S. and Europe this year, in roles ranging from engineers to project managers to developers to analysts and more. Ameresco provides efficient energy solutions to clients ranging from federal and state governments to colleges and hospitals.
“Everyone needs energy regardless of the circumstances, regardless of who’s in the White House,” said Nicole Bulgarino, executive vice president and general manager of federal and utility solutions at Ameresco. “So the driver will be the increased need for safer energy sources, cheaper energy sources and cleaner energy sources.”
The company is also looking to Generation Z to fill jobs, as fewer applicants are applying through trade and vocational schools and younger workers have shown interest in climate-friendly opportunities. Ameresco, which offers tuition reimbursement and mentoring programs, said it has had success recruiting recent college graduates and investing in their training.
Caroline Leilani Stevenson, a 22-year-old assistant electrical engineer at Ameresco, is part of the Gen Z hiring push. Stevenson interned at Ameresco and returned full-time after graduating, and today works on projects with the Department of Defense.
She was able to work on a solar project in Honolulu, which was especially meaningful, as she grew up on Maui and, like others of her generation, found the idea of working toward more sustainable energy solutions appealing.
“I wanted to make an impact and build something really big,” she said. “A large naval base doesn’t have the same energy needs as a small elementary school, the suburbs of New York City or a hospital doesn’t have the same energy needs as a large data center… It’s amazing to be able to design something for a specific location and make a difference in that way. To be able to see and know that the energy from these lines is going somewhere and that it’s ultimately going to improve lives in general.”
As Harris and Trump prepare to discuss their policies, neither candidate has yet put forward a comprehensive plan on energy and climate change, creating uncertainty in the sector. But their experiences in the White House could help guide potential paths.
Harris was a key part of the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, casting the deciding vote to pass the bill as Joe Biden’s vice president. She also supported the Green New Deal while serving in the Senate but has backed away from some of her previous positions that leaned more to the progressive left. Harris also said in an interview with CNN that she would not ban fracking, a position she took in her previous White House bid.
Meanwhile, Trump has promised to lower energy costs and focus on drilling for oil in the United States. He has also backed away from key climate policies and said he would cancel unspent IRA funds if elected. He called the Green New Deal a “Green New Scam” at an event at the Economic Club of New York last week.
One thing is certain: Industry analysts expect energy demand to grow significantly, regardless of November's results.
“There’s a lot of new, especially in electricity, a lot of new demand, (from) transportation, electricity, data centers, artificial intelligence. All of that is driving a lot of demand for electricity,” Brissett said. “It’s almost hard to imagine how much more energy we’re going to need in the future.”
