Report: Illinois leads Midwest in clean energy jobs creation

Illinois ranks fifth in the U.S. for clean energy jobs with 3,274 new jobs added last year, outpacing the rest of state employment growth, according to the annual Clean Jobs Midwest report released by nonpartisan business group E2, Evergreen Climate Innovations, and the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition.

More than one out of every 10 jobs added in Illinois in 2024 — and more than half of all energy-related jobs — was in clean energy, according to the report.

Jobs in solar, wind, batteries, energy efficiency, storage and grid, and other clean energy subsectors continued to grow faster than the broader economy, accounting for an increasingly large share of the state’s workforce. Yet, amid policy uncertainty and a slowing national economy, in 2024, Illinois added about 2,000 fewer jobs than it did in 2023 and clean energy jobs grew at their slowest pace since 2020, the report says.

“Illinois is leading the Midwest in clean energy, but with rollbacks at the federal level, we have to keep up the momentum,” said Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition Co-State Director Liliana Scales. “The proposed Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (SB25) will create additional jobs in the clean energy space and advance Illinois’ 100% clean energy goal set in CEJA. The bill adds 6 GW of battery storage, helps consumers cut bills through rebates and efficiency programs, and strengthens transmission to deliver more clean electricity reliably and affordably.”

According to the report, the clean energy sector in Illinois now counts 132,239 clean energy workers — most in the Midwest and fifth nationally — led by 89,878 jobs in energy efficiency and 19,283 jobs in renewable generation. While clean vehicles lost 150 jobs due to an industrywide decline across all motor vehicle sectors in 2024, the subsector has grown by 50% since 2020 and employs nearly 16,000 workers statewide.

“Midwest states continue to recognize the value of investing in clean energy. In 2024, clean energy jobs outperformed the rest of the economy in every state in the region,” said Micaela Preskill, E2’s director of state advocacy. “It’s a testament to the sector’s ability to bring jobs to every community, today and as we look to the future.”

Not reflected in the 2024 data are recent policy actions by Congress and the Trump administration — to kill projects, revoke tax credits, cancel permits and add new regulatory red tape. They have caused major job losses in the clean energy industry, with more expected to come, experts say.

According to E2 research, since January 2025, companies canceled more than $3.2 billion in planned clean energy-related factories and other projects in Illinois that were expected to create more than 2,600 new jobs.

Clean energy now accounts for 42.6% of all energy- and vehicle-related jobs in the state, and 2.2% of all jobs. Industrywide, nearly 60% of the sector’s jobs — about 76,000 — are in construction or manufacturing.

“Clean energy jobs across the Midwest are proving more resilient than the broader economy,” said Ian Adams, managing director at Evergreen Climate Innovations. “This resilience reflects the strength of regional innovation, state leadership, and the ability of companies to keep creating opportunities despite headwinds. Businesses are scaling, creating jobs, and proving that innovation here can drive the clean energy economy forward.”

Illinois also is home to the top-ranked county for clean energy jobs in the Midwest. Cook County, with more than 56,000 clean energy workers, leads the pack. DuPage has more than 13,000 clean energy workers, and Lake and Will counties are each home to more than 5,000 such workers. These four counties rank among the top 30 in the region. Kane county ranks 31 with more than 4,500 clean energy workers, 2024 data show.

Veterans made up 9.7% of the clean energy workforce in 2024 and Illinois has the second-most diverse clean energy industry out of any Midwest state, the report says.

To download the Clean Jobs Midwest 2025 report and get more details on solar and electric vehicle jobs, visit https://cleanjobsamerica.e2.org.