Estimating the Potential for Growth in the Energy Services Sector

Estimating the Potential for Growth in the Energy Services Sector

President Obama created a lot of buzz around "Green Jobs," by emphasizing the importance of growth in the clean energy sector to the United State's economic recovery. But what does this mean for the Energy Efficiency Services Sector (EESS) and utilities?

A new study published this week by the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory (LBNL) examines the current EESS workforce and analyzes the challenges and opportunities that growth in the sector presents.

LBNL estimates that the size of the EESS workforce was 400,000 strong in 2008, with 30% of those energy efficiency professionals working in ratepayer-funded programs. The number of jobs is expected to at least double by the year 2020. While high growth is projected in the sector, employers report it is difficult to find qualified candidates for any position other than entry level.

For utility managers this is exacerbated even further. They are strategizing how to overcome the dual challenge of hiring qualified staff in a relatively new industry of efficiency, while they are concurrently losing ~44% of their workforce to retirement in the next five to ten years. Mary Miller, Vice President of Human Resources at the Edison Electric Institute, noted that, coincident with these pending retirements, many utilities expect to expand staffing by 50% to meet increasing demand for power.

Despite these stunning statistics, EE Program Administrators surveyed for this study did not list retirement as their primary concern. Rather, retaining existing staff, managing the growth of the efficiency department and finding qualified staff knowledgeable about efficiency were their dominant personnel concerns.

Are You Seeking EE Training for Your Staff ?

Recognizing the tremendous demand for professional development opportunities, APPA developed the Energy Efficiency Management Certificate Program (EEMCP). The courses are designed to provide utility personnel with the expertise needed to integrate efficiency into their utility's business plan and initiate or enhance customer programs.

For more information on these programs visit here