North Carolina is known for many things. The Wright brothers completed the first successful powered airplane flight in the Tar Heel State. Its natural beauty is displayed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Outer Banks draws millions of tourists to its shores yearly. Even the first Krispy Kreme donut was produced in Winston-Salem.
The state also got another distinction in 2024 — a hub for green jobs. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and HB 951 have led to more than nearly two dozen large-scale clean energy projects announced across North Carolina. HB 951 requires the NC Utilities Commission to take “all reasonable steps” to reduce carbon emissions by 70% from 2005 levels by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Photo Courtesy NC Sustainable Energy Association
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), clean energy jobs in the state grew 4.2% in 2023 — more than 50% faster than economy-wide jobs in North Carolina. Last year, the Clean Economy Tracker found that the state had the most announced jobs at nearly 3,400 as of October, with South Carolina and Michigan following it.
Similarly, E2 and the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) released a report that said clean energy and vehicle companies added more than 4,400 jobs in 2023 in North Carolina, bringing the total number of clean energy workers in the state to almost 110,000.
The Clean Jobs North Carolina 2024 analysis ranks North Carolina ninth among all 50 states for clean energy employment.
The breakdown includes:
- 80,800 energy efficiency jobs
- 13,579 renewable energy jobs
- 9,522 clean vehicle jobs
The Charlotte metro area ranked 23rd among all United States metro areas for the most clean energy jobs, and the Raleigh metro area ranked 39th.
“North Carolina’s clean energy economy continues to distinguish itself as an engine of jobs and economic opportunity par excellence,” Zach Amittay, southeast advocate for E2, said in a press release. “And with the historic policies and incentives created by the IRA beginning to take hold, we will continue to see clean energy powering an American economic revolution, with workers and businesses across North Carolina benefiting.”
Photo Courtesy NC Sustainable Energy Association
The report aligns with the state’s employment goals, with The Labor & Economic Analysis Division of the NC Department of Commerce unveiling North Carolina’s long-term employment estimates through 2032. The projections offer in-depth insight into industry and occupational trends.
The state is forecasted to add more than 500,000 new jobs between 2022 and 2032 — higher than the projected national average of 0.28% for the same period.
North Carolina is growing much faster than the majority of other states in the nation. According to an economic forecast published in December 2024 by UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business, the state was expected to add around 68,100 net jobs by the end of 2024. The report also said the nondurable goods manufacturing sector was projected to increase by around 2.6% in North Carolina in 2025.
North Carolina’s clean energy boom can be seen in some of the projects announced in 2024. One of these is Boviet Solar Technology, building its first American factory in Pitt County and creating 908 jobs by 2028. Announced in April, the company will invest more than $294 million in the Greenville facility.
Photo Courtesy North Carolina Department of Commerce
In August, Natron Energy, Inc., the only commercial manufacturer of sodium-ion batteries in the U.S., announced it would invest $1.4 billion in a North Carolina plant. The firm will establish a sodium-ion battery giga-factory at the Kingsboro CSX Select Megasite in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, creating more than 1,000 jobs.
The new facility will expand the company’s Michigan-based production capabilities.
The North Carolina Megasite Readiness Program will give Natron close to $30 million for onsite preparation of the Kingsboro Megasite.
“After evaluating over 70 sites across nine states, we found that North Carolina, with its leadership in the clean energy revolution, would make the perfect home for this project,” Colin Wessells, founder and co-CEO of Natron Energy, said in a press release. “We are proud to partner with the state on this ambitious project to deliver high-quality jobs to the community while advancing the electrification of our economy.”
Photo Courtesy Natron Energy Inc.
Renewable generation grew 7.7% in 2023, bringing North Carolina’s renewable generation workforce to 13,579 individuals — the eighth largest in the country. Solar energy accounts for the majority of the sector’s workforce, with 9,819 jobs.
“These numbers highlight the significant role clean energy plays in North Carolina’s economy, from the mountains to the coast,” Matt Abele, executive director at NCSEA, said in a statement.
“Our skilled workforce, bipartisan policy support, and thriving ecosystem of clean energy companies make North Carolina a prime location for continued investment and deployment of clean energy technologies,” he continued. “As the country continues to build out a domestic supply chain for clean energy, rural and urban counties all across the state of North Carolina will be central to that growth.”
