Study: Iowa’s clean energy sector grew in 2024 with more than 900 new jobs

The number of clean energy jobs in Iowa reached a record high in 2024, with more than 33,000 Iowans holding jobs in the clean energy space, surpassing the state’s previous record of 31,910 jobs in 2019.

Clean Jobs Midwest on Wednesday released its annual report, which tracks clean energy workforce growth across the Midwest and breaks down each state by county.

According to the report, clean energy jobs in Iowa grew six times faster than the state’s overall economy in 2024, resulting in a 2.8 percent jump — an increase of 917 workers statewide — in clean energy jobs compared to 2023.

“Clean energy’s economic role in the region is vital: the industry added jobs almost six times faster than Iowa’s overall economy, and nearly six times as many Iowans work in clean energy than the number of lawyers, web developers and real estate agents combined,” the report states.

The report also states that clean energy job growth is expected to “surge” in 2025 by about 3.6 percent.

This prediction comes as some federal clean energy programs and tax incentives — mainly created by the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act — have been repealed under the Trump administration.

“If federal clean energy and clean vehicle incentives are rolled back, the job growth and resurgence of clean energy manufacturing could be at risk,” the report states.

Of the 12 Midwest states examined in the report, Micaela Preskill, director of state advocacy for E2 — a national nonprofit organization that advocate for smart energy policies — said all states saw clean energy job growth that outpaced each state’s economy.

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However, Preskill noted that clean energy job growth did slow between 2023 and 2024. From 2022 to 2023, clean energy jobs in Iowa grew by 4.5 percent.

Preskill said some of that slowdown likely was anticipation of federal changes.

“Our survey looks at jobs up until the end of 2024, and I think a lot of industries were starting to pause and adjust as we got closer to more and more federal uncertainty, and that definitely impacted the industry,” Preskill said.

The Midwest region as a whole saw a 3.9 percent increase in clean energy jobs in 2023 as well.

Of the states examined in the study — which include Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio — Iowa is in the middle of the pack for the number of clean energy workers per state.

Of the 12 Midwest states, North Dakota has the smallest clean energy workforce, with about 9,513 workers in 2024. Illinois has the largest, with about 132,239 clean energy workers employed statewide.

Percentage-wise, Kansas had the smallest clean energy jobs workforce, at 1.9 percent of its total workforce employed in clean energy jobs. Michigan had the largest percentage at 2.9 percent of its workforce in clean energy jobs. In Iowa, 2.2 percent of the workforce holds a clean energy job.

In presenting the information Wednesday, Preskill noted that the numbers in the report reflect the number of clean energy jobs per state before federal rollbacks to clean energy funding and the approval of the Trump administration’s One Big, Beautiful Bill.

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She said the report is “both a snapshot of success and a warning of what's at stake” in regard to the clean energy industry.

Breaking down the numbers

The report from Clean Jobs Midwest found that energy efficiency work made up “well over half” of Iowa’s clean energy jobs.

Researchers found that 20,153 Iowans make up the energy efficiency workforce in Iowa, completing work like manufacturing ENERGY STAR-rated appliances, installing efficient lighting, connecting heat pumps and other highly efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The clean vehicle energy sector — including EVs and hybrid EVs — added about 331 new jobs for 4,135 workers across Iowa in 2024. Electric vehicle jobs experienced the steepest growth rate at about 9.8 percent.

Renewable energy job growth in solar also rose by about 13 percent, and wind energy jobs grew by 1.1 percent.

In Iowa, construction work made up about 51.6 percent of clean energy jobs, while the manufacturing sector made up about 17.9 percent.

And in 2024, about 10.1 percent of Iowa’s clean energy workforce was made up of veterans.

The report breaks down clean energy jobs by county. Polk County’s 7,082 clean energy workers is the most of any county in Iowa, and ranks 18 among the counties in all 12 Midwest states.

Linn County is in second place statewide and 52nd across the Midwest with 2,778 clean energy jobs, while Scott County’s 1,886 clean energy jobs earns it the rank of 72nd across the Midwest.

Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. She is also a contributing writer for the Ag and Water Desk, an independent journalism collaborative focusing on the Mississippi River Basin.

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Comments: olivia.cohen@thegazette.com