LANSING— More than 87,000 work in Michigan’s clean energy industry, according to a comprehensive analysis unveiled today by Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council and Clean Energy Trust. The report ranks Michigan alongside 11 other states. Michigan leads the Midwest region in clean energy vehicle jobs and is second in renewable energy jobs.

“Clean energy jobs play a critical role in Michigan’s economy and this report shows the clean energy sector’s potential to continue growing and leading the Midwest,” said Liesl Clark, president of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council. “Extending Michigan’s renewable energy and energy efficiency standards will drive further growth and investment in this sector, which would mean tens of thousands of new, good-paying jobs.”

The analysis – available at www.CleanJobsMidwest.com – is based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and a comprehensive survey of thousands of businesses across Michigan and the region. The Clean Jobs Midwest report provides detailed breakdowns of clean energy jobs not available previously – including job totals for every county in Michigan.

“I’m proud to work for a company that’s manufacturing wind turbine components and creating good-paying jobs right here in Michigan,” said Scott Viciana, vice president of sales and business development at Ventower Industries, a Monroe-based wind turbine tower manufacturer. “As Michigan transitions away from technologies of the past, the clean energy sector is well-positioned and ready to play an increasingly important role. It just takes leadership from Lansing.”

“Clean energy is a dynamic sector and central to economic growth in Michigan,” said Clean Energy Trust CEO Erik Birkkerts. “Smart public policy will further accelerate the clean energy sector’s growth, which means thousands of new jobs created across the region and which will confer economic advantages on the state of Michigan.”

According to the report, Michigan is a leader in renewable energy jobs—coming in second in the Midwest with more than 19,000 clean energy manufacturing jobs. Energy efficiency is the largest clean-energy-sector employer in the state, with more than 47,000 workers employed in areas like high-efficiency lighting, Energy Star appliance manufacturing and high-efficiency HVAC services to reduce wasted energy in homes, schools and businesses. The report also found that small businesses drive clean energy in Michigan, with more that 77 percent of clean energy businesses employing fewer than 25 employees.

“Reducing energy waste is common sense because it saves money for Michigan families and businesses and the energy efficiency sector plays an important role in our economy,” said Stevan Bratic managing director at Bratic Enterprises, a Royal Oak-based energy efficiency business. “We’ve made huge progress in reducing energy waste, but we have a long way to go and our sector will continue to grow and thrive.”

According to the report, extending Michigan’s renewable energy and energy efficiency standards could drive further growth and investment in the state’s thriving clean energy economy and once again make Michigan a leader in this sector.

“Advances in technology have made renewable energy more affordable than ever, and we’ve seen huge increases in demand for solar energy,” said Mark Cryderman, business development and education manager at The Green Panel, a Brighton-based solar panel installation company. “Our industry will continue to grow and play an important role in Michigan’s economy.”

Suzanne Neumann of The Green Panel and Omar Abdallah of Ventower Industries are featured in worker profiles on the Clean Jobs Midwest website.

MICHIGAN ENERGY INNOVATION BUSINESS COUNCIL

The Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (Michigan EIBC) is a business trade association representing companies in Michigan’s growing advanced energy sector. Michigan EIBC’s mission is to grow Michigan’s advanced energy economy by fostering opportunities for innovation and business growth and offering a unified voice in creating a business-friendly environment for the advanced energy industry in Michigan. Learn more at www.mieibc.org.

CLEAN ENERGY TRUST

Clean Energy Trust (CET) fuels clean energy innovation in the Midwest. A Chicago-based non-profit, CET helps launch, fund and grow Midwest clean energy companies to ensure a more prosperous, sustainable future for generations to come. It does this through direct investment, commercialization assistance, mentorship, access to its broad partner network and the promotion of a supportive clean energy community and business climate. Learn more at www.cleanenergytrust.org.