But with the US unemployment rate at a historic low of 3.5 percent, companies say they fear they will struggle to fill those jobs, and plans to transition from fossil fuels could stall. Despite layoff announcements and signs of a slowdown elsewhere in the economy, the labor market for clean energy jobs remains tight.
“It seems like a huge risk for this expansion. Where are we going to find all the people?” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president of the Solar Energy Industry Association trade group.
Shortages in electric vehicle and battery production and solar panel and home efficiency installations in particular are expected, forcing some companies to take bold new approaches to finding workers.
Korea’s SK Innovation Co. Ltd., which makes batteries for Ford Motor Co.’s FN F-150 Lightning all-electric pickup truck in Commerce, Georgia, has boosted pay and benefits as it plans to expand its U.S. workforce to 4,000 by 2025. to 20,000.
