Vermont’s clean energy sector has been experiencing notable growth recently, and this upward trend is expected to continue.
The Vermont Digger reported that employment in this field expanded by 6.2 percent between the first quarter of 2014 and the same period this year. Within the state’s renewable energy industry, about 75 percent of positions belong to the solar energy field. This subsector expanded by nearly 22 percent in the past 12 months, the source explained.
The Burlington Free Press reported that Vermont is currently leading the U.S. in clean energy jobs per capita. The state appears to be committed to retaining this top spot, as the creation of another 1,000 clean-energy-related jobs is projected for the next six to 12 months. This anticipated growth will increase the industry’s workforce by another 6 percent. A large portion of these jobs will come from small businesses, as roughly 2,500 renewable energy organizations in Vermont operate with fewer than 10 employees.
According to the news source, Vermont recently put an end to solar incentives that were influential in expanding the industry. While some speculate that this will hinder the sector’s predicted growth, many local leaders believe the opposite to be true. Officials from the state’s Public Service Department are confident that the popularity of solar power will continue to grow without extra motivation due to its efficiency.