Energy Transition for All
Clean energy is continuing its growth towards becoming the predominant source of electricity in the United States.
Our industry should lead in responsibly managing that growth – for our workers, communities, and in the pursuit of a diverse and inclusive sector. This initiative is our Energy Transition for All.
America is in an unprecedented transition toward a clean energy future.
Today, renewable energy represents roughly 14% of electricity generation in the U.S. By 2030, the clean energy industry will produce around 40% of electricity generation, creating 550,000 new jobs, attracting $600 billion in new private investment, and reimagining the way we generate and deliver electricity across the United States.
This transformation represents an unparalleled opportunity to create a better future for everyone; one that offers greater access to clean and affordable energy, as well as economic growth and opportunities for investment and innovation. However, we know that this level of change can have significant social consequences – especially for communities that have been home to carbon-intensive industries, or that historically have been left behind.
The American Clean Power Association (ACP) and its over 700 member companies across wind, solar, and energy storage technologies are committed to being a positive part of an equitable Energy Transition for All.
But no single industry or sector of the economy can address these issues alone.
We need the proactive intervention and engagement of federal, state and local policy makers, companies, NGOs, and community leaders, among others, to ensure that the benefits of this historical transformation are broadly shared across the United States, especially in communities most vulnerable to this change.
The pillars of the ET4All initiative
The clean energy industry is committed to an equitable Energy Transition for All. ACP’s member companies have a broad range of programs that are helping provide economic opportunity to transitioning workers and communities, and that are increasing participation of diverse and underrepresented populations in the industry. Still, we see an opportunity to scale best practices and drive a well-orchestrated cross-sector approach to achieve even greater impact along three Energy Transition for All pillars:
Pillar #1: Expanding opportunity for workers
Focusing especially on those workers from transitioning and historically disadvantaged communities.
Pillar #2: Creating Value for Communities
Providing targeted investments, local economic development, and creating diverse supply chains.
Pillar #3: Leading in Diversity and Inclusion
Striving towards a workforce and leadership teams that are representative of the communities we operate in.
ACP and its member companies will pursue programs across these three pillars as part of a multi-year initiative. As the industry and the external environment evolve, so too will our focus and areas of commitment.
ACP and its members firmly believe that, with a unified and coordinated effort, we can contribute substantially to a vision for the future that we can all be proud of.
Breakout Women+ Profiles
“The renewable industry is such an exciting and fast-growing industry. It is challenging but so rewarding at the end of the day.”
“Choose a career in something that you are truly interested in because that is where you will excel.”
“What I have found is that clean energy has become so pervasive, due to both economics and consumer interest, that whenever I am seeking a job there are exciting clean energy opportunities available”
“It takes courage to teach or facilitate a workshop on a topic on which you are not an expert, but it builds confidence, executive presence and communication, networking, and deep expertise more quickly than any other method.”
“Emerging clean energy sectors like offshore wind and solar promise not only a more sustainable approach for our environment, but significant economic opportunities for communities. That double win is impossible to ignore if you are invested in the future of the nation’s energy economy.”
“The more I put myself in difficult situations the easier it became to navigate conflict and decipher what changes provide the most value.”
ACP’s Breakout Women+ series recognizes and celebrates the contributions of women working in the clean energy industry. Learn about the career paths of the some of the female leaders in our industry and their advice for career growth.
Industry Initiatives:
ACP’s Energy Transition for All builds a set of mutually reinforcing programs that drive positive outcomes for targeted communities. As individual companies, the industry already has a broad range of programs that are providing economic opportunity to transitioning workers and communities, and increasing participation of diverse and underrepresented communities in our industry. Here are a few of our ACP member company initiatives that are already making an impact among our workforce, in our communities and in diversity and inclusion efforts:
EDP Renewables
EDP Renewables prioritized professional development programs through targeted support and programming for incoming managers (Lead Now Program), coaching from company directors for existing managers (Executive Development Program), and a company-wide open learning repository (EDP University).
Invenergy
Invenergy launched Reactivate, a community solar energy platform to build out solar projects in low-to-moderate income (LMI) communities. The company, a joint venture with Lafayette Square, will focus worker training efforts on underrepresented segments of the workforce and those transitioning to the renewable energy industry. Additionally, these projects will create opportunities for Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) with a target of over 100 MWBE contracts this decade. (Photo Credit: Invenergy)
Pattern Energy
Pattern Energy implemented a range of initiatives focused on enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Examples include launching a DE&I Council, supporting employee-led Affinity Networks, publishing a Statement of DEI Commitments, hosting a DE&I Month, conducting a staff engagement survey focused on DEI topics, and requiring leadership to take unconscious bias workshops.
Dominion Energy
Since 2019 Dominion Energy has held an annual Careers in Energy Diversity Student Conference bringing in hundreds of women and minority students from across the country to expose them to and educate them about career options within the energy industry. Students interview and compete for paid summer internships, many of which ultimately lead to full-time job offers upon graduation.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy has built a robust pipeline of diverse candidates by setting and publishing goals of growing the share of women in the workforce to 25% and people of color to 20%. To achieve these goals, it has integrated HBCUs into recruiting activities, conducted employee surveys to identify and address DE&I shortcomings, and set supplier diversity targets that have led to a spend increase on diverse suppliers of 10% per year (~$100M).
Clearway Energy
Clearway Energy’s West Virginia Pilot Apprenticeship Program provides $20,000 to cover wages and education for former coal workers or their family members to get trained as wind technicians.
Enel Green Power
Enel has a workforce retraining partnership with Texas State Technical College (TSTC) and Innovation Partnership with AdeptID to focus on (i) workforce retraining programs for oil and gas workers, and (ii) machine learning analytics for inclusive job mobility. Enel is combining its partnership with TSTC and AdeptID to identify non-obvious, high-likelihood transitions such as renewable energy, specifically for roles that don’t require college degrees.
Clean Power Companies in Action: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
A key component of the Energy Transition for All Initiative is for the clean energy industry to lead in diversity and inclusion within our workforce. Our industry is striving towards a clean power workforce and leadership teams that are representative of the communities we operate in. Learn about the DE&I commitments and efforts already underway at several of our ACP member companies in our video series.
Jobs in Clean Energy
From wind technicians to engineers, finance professionals and crew transfer ship captains, clean power jobs span a variety of career occupations. Browse our Careers in Clean Energy jobs board to learn more about the types of jobs that are available right now.
Energy Transition for All News
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Katie Lopez’s career path from model to a Deutsche Windtecknik USA wind technician is just one example of the huge opportunity that renewable energy holds for women looking to advance in some of the fastest growing careers in America.
Clean Energy Growth Will Power Jobs for Our Nation’s Veterans
American workers, and our nation’s veterans looking to transition from active duty into civilian life, would benefit greatly from the increased investment and deployment of solar, wind, and energy storage across America. These jobs in clean energy will be accessible, offering opportunities in fields like construction, manufacturing, operations, and maintenance.
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