Clean Energy Manufacturing: The Great American Comeback

Photo Credit: Nextracker

The clean energy industry is staging a great American comeback—facilitating the buildout of manufacturing and the revitalization of communities in the U.S.  

It’s no secret that the United States has experienced a downturn in manufacturing. Between 2001 and 2015—a period that included two recessions—manufacturing employment fell nearly 30 percent. In addition, 71 percent of U.S. counties experienced a decline in manufacturing employment.  

But just in the last two years, the clean energy industry has announced 161 new manufacturing facilities or facility expansions across the U.S.—announcements that are quickly turning to reality.

• 42 facilities are currently online and operating 

• At least 119 additional facilities are under development 

This movement is delivering good-paying jobs, securing domestic supply chains, and providing an economic shot in the arm which will benefit Americans.

The clean energy industry has announced $500 billion in investment in the last two years alone with $75 billion of those announcements have been realized in clean power built, signaling where this industry is heading and the continued need for securing a domestic supply chain. 

Manufacturing facilities are filling that need, all while investing in the U.S. economy and creating tens of thousands of good paying American jobs. There are over 500 (and growing) clean power-related manufacturing facilities across the U.S. supplying parts and components to wind, solar, and storage projects.   

• This includes 20,000 jobs from operational manufacturing sites built since 2022.  

• 80,000 more manufacturing jobs are expected from manufacturing facilities in development. 

By creating and expanding supply chains to make clean energy technologies here at home, we will strengthen America’s energy security, create good-paying American jobs, and boost the nation’s economy.  

It’s something our country can be proud of. Communities are building great, big, infrastructure again.  

Building clean energy provides us with more than just a sense of pride and purpose—it paves a path for our future. It provides critical flexibility and resiliency for the future, allowing a flourishing of other industries, sectors of our economy, and communities across the country.  

Clean energy allows communities to expand and attract economic opportunities, helping to mitigate concerns over increasing demand by delivering critical capacity to meet rapidly growing demand.  

• In fact, renewable production and consumption both reached record highs in 2023, with industrial and transportation sectors as notable end-users. 

• Clean energy made up the large majority of utility-scale energy capacity added in 2023—with battery storage, solar, and wind representing 77% of 2023 utility-scale capacity additions. 

An increase in domestic clean energy manufacturing will help the industry accelerate development, which is already booming, and help the industry continue to meet this demand. The industry reached significant milestones in the first quarter of 2024.  

• Utility-scale solar surpassed 100 GW of installed capacity, and the first large-scale offshore wind project in federal waters began supplying (132 MW of) clean, reliable power to the grid. 

• The investments announced just since 2022 represent 300+ GW of clean power capacity—55 GW of which is already installed.  

The clean energy boom has provided a clearer vision for not just our energy future, but also for a more sustainable American economy. One built right here at home.