Our Economy

Clean energy offers significant economic benefits. From manufacturing development to the support of related industries, clean energy builds new economic opportunities and creates a significant number of local jobs. These benefits are already being seen in the emerging and robust clean energy industry sector in Massachusetts.

Industry Development

The clean energy industry in Massachusetts incorporates a wide variety of manufacturing, installation, and supporting activities. Direct manufacturing activities include the production of solar panels, fuel cells, and the equipment used in hydropower facilities. Installation is also a significant area of activity, particularly for solar energy, which is installed in small quantities and numerous locations. Supporting activities include the manufacture of equipment needed to connect clean energy technologies to the electric grid, consulting activites, and educational efforts.

Related areas like energy efficiency and green building development also account for a significant part of the economy, particularly in the building industry. Development in these areas requires skilled architects, engineers, contractors, and operations managers to carry out the design and construction of high performance buildings.

In Massachusetts, the clean energy industry is a national leader in manufacturing, exporting millions of dollars worth of products and knowledge each year. Portions of the industry are growing at annual rates between 25% and 35%, far exceeding the current growth of other Massachusetts industries. Read the latest study on this industry sector.

Job Creation

Analysis shows that the clean energy industry in Massachusetts currently includes thousands of full-time jobs, including those in supporting and related industries. In 2002, 40 core clean energy firms reported annual growth rates of 40% to 77%. By comparison, the textiles and apparel industry, a core industry in Massachusetts, lost 7% of its jobs in recent years as a result of globalization.

In addition to direct industry jobs, clean energy has the potential to support rural development through the siting of wind turbines on farms and other rural properties and the sale of biomass fuels for energy generation. A national study from the U.S. Department of Energy estimates a potential overall total of $1.2 billion in new income for landowners and farmers from wind turbine revenues and a total of $80 billion in new income from farm and rural community sales of biomass fuels.

To learn more about the Massachusetts clean energy industry, you can visit the Clean Energy Facilities and Industry section. To learn more about what the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative is doing to advance Massachusetts’ clean energy industry, visit our Industry Support Program web page.

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