Illinois, US - New Study Projects Clean Energy Transition Could Create More than 150,000 New Jobs in Illinois by 2050


National economic and workforce applied research firm BW Research today released a first-of-its-kind study in Illinois that found that the transition to clean energy could create a net increase of more than 150,000 jobs for the state by 2050. The study was commissioned by ComEd to better understand the economic and workforce development challenges and opportunities communities will face in the transition to clean energy; the results include a statewide and regional job analyses.

"As evidenced by this foundational study, Illinois stands to gain tens of thousands of good-paying jobs from the transition to a clean energy future - and we must ensure that all communities benefit from this economic opportunity. This research will help ensure that, working with community partners, we can build a diverse pipeline of talent ready to power the state's journey to a cleaner, brighter future.",said ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones.

Another aspect that was examined through the study were the impacts to regional and statewide employment from two scenarios on the transition to a net zero energy future. It captures initial and secondary employment outputs across four sectors of the economy - electricity, fuels, transportation and buildings - and assesses opportunities for growth and areas of displacement across these four sectors to determine employment outcomes.

To complement BW Research's analysis, ComEd has announced that it has conducted in-depth interviews with more than a dozen local business and community groups, ranging from workforce development organizations and educational institutions to labor unions. The study is said to incorporate insights from these interviews on the impacts of the economy and pandemic recovery on the local workforce, the effect of decarbonization on the region's future workforce, and the need for public-private partnership to prepare for workforce needs in coming decades.

Source: Comed