Kentucky clean-energy jobs: 32,322 workers (2024)
Largest sector in Kentucky: Energy Efficiency with 25,562 workers (national rank #28).
Where Kentucky’s clean-energy jobs sit across 8 sectors
| Sector | Jobs (2024) | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency | 25,562 | #28 |
| Electric Vehicles | 2,954 | #11 |
| Solar | 2,268 | #31 |
| Storage & Grid | 822 | #31 |
| Wind | 298 | #47 |
| Hydropower | 154 | #37 |
| Clean Fuels | 142 | #34 |
| Nuclear | 122 | #33 |
Employer-reported hiring difficulty in Kentucky
Did not hire
49.6%
Somewhat difficult hiring
26.6%
Very difficult hiring
20.9%
Not at all difficult hiring
2.9%
NAICS industry mix for Kentucky clean-energy jobs
Manufacturing
78,131
Construction
20,948
Other Services
13,174
Trade
11,333
Professional Services
9,708
Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows
8,485
Utilities
7,670
Mining and Extraction
6,045
Agriculture and Forestry
558
Kentucky’s electric-power generation workforce by fuel type
Solar
2,268
Coal electricity
1,316
Natural gas electricity
938
Bioenergy/Combined heat and power
326
Wind
298
Other electricity
202
Traditional hydropower
154
Low impact hydropower, marine, and hydrokinetics
123
Nuclear electricity
122
Geothermal electricity
85
Oil and other fossil fuel electricity
45
Full USEER workbook line items for Kentucky
Fuels
| Fuels total | 13,928 |
| Coal fuels | 6,992 |
| Oil (petroleum and other fossil fuels) | 4,180 |
| Natural gas fuels | 1,030 |
| Corn ethanol | 594 |
| Other fuels | 555 |
| Woody biomass | 201 |
| Other ethanol and non-woody biomass | 194 |
| Other biofuels | 142 |
| Nuclear fuels | 40 |
Electric Power Generation
| Electric power generation total | 5,876 |
| Solar | 2,268 |
| Coal electricity | 1,316 |
| Natural gas electricity | 938 |
| Bioenergy/Combined heat and power | 326 |
| Wind | 298 |
| Other electricity | 202 |
| Traditional hydropower | 154 |
| Low impact hydropower, marine, and hydrokinetics | 123 |
| Nuclear electricity | 122 |
| Geothermal electricity | 85 |
| Oil and other fossil fuel electricity | 45 |
Transmission, Distribution & Storage
| Transmission, distribution, and storage total | 25,423 |
| Traditional transmission and distribution | 14,557 |
| Other (including commodity flows) | 9,240 |
| Storage | 822 |
| Other grid modernization | 302 |
| Smart grid | 256 |
| Micro grid | 245 |
Energy Efficiency
| Energy efficiency total | 25,562 |
| High efficiency HVAC and renewable heating and cooling | 7,655 |
| Traditional HVAC with an efficiency component | 5,967 |
| Certified and efficient lighting | 5,724 |
| Advanced materials | 3,513 |
| Other | 2,703 |
Motor Vehicles
| Motor vehicle total | 85,263 |
| Gasoline and diesel vehicles | 68,350 |
| Hybrid electric vehicles | 4,486 |
| Other vehicles | 4,321 |
| Battery electric vehicles | 2,954 |
| Motor vehicle commodity flows | 2,283 |
| Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles | 1,943 |
| Hydrogen/fuel cell vehicles | 486 |
| Natural gas vehicles | 439 |
By NAICS Industry
| Manufacturing | 78,131 |
| Construction | 20,948 |
| Other Services | 13,174 |
| Trade | 11,333 |
| Professional Services | 9,708 |
| Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows | 8,485 |
| Utilities | 7,670 |
| Mining and Extraction | 6,045 |
| Agriculture and Forestry | 558 |