Report shows clean energy jobs are surging in New Mexico

By Hannah Grover
​NM Political Report

A new report shows that New Mexico has experienced some of the fastest growth in clean energy jobs in the country.

The report, released by E2 and the Renewable Energy Industry Association of New Mexico, ranks the state as top in the nation for growth in energy efficiency jobs and third for clean energy jobs.

This job growth is in part due to the $2 billion of private investments since the passage of the federal Inflation Reduction Act.

There are now more than 13,400 clean energy jobs in the state and New Mexico added 770 clean energy workers in 2023.

“The historic policies and incentives created by the IRA are transforming New Mexico’s clean energy industry, and workers and businesses in every part of our state are benefiting,” Susan Nedell, the senior western advocate for E2, said in a press release. “This report clearly shows clean energy continues to be an important economic driver for the state, demonstrating the need for continued leadership at the state level to attract even more jobs and investments to New Mexico as the sector grows across the country.”

The report uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. This shows that clean energy jobs in New Mexico grew 6.1 percent last year, which is more than double the pace of economy-wide job growth in the state. In fact, the clean energy sectors accounted for 19 percent of all energy-related jobs added in New Mexico in 2023.
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““New Mexico’s economic growth due to clean energy is a major win for the Mountain West,” Jim DesJardins, executive director of REIA-NM, said in a press release. “Solar is an outstanding renewable energy source for states with an abundance of sunshine, like New Mexico. We need to continue to foster collaborative efforts between renewable energy companies, state governments, communities and landowners, as we seek to lower our carbon footprint and to create new career opportunities.”