For years, retail and service jobs like cashier and restaurant server made up a broad portion of employment in the U.S. However, in a sign of the times, those professions have recently been overtaken by a surprising new sector: renewable energy. 

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, wind turbine service technicians and solar panel installers have become the two fastest-growing jobs in America.

But employment in those positions is not just growing fast; these jobs already dominate U.S. employment.

"More people now work in clean energy related occupations than work as nurses, cashiers, waiters and waitresses, or preschool, elementary, and middle school teachers," according to E2, which recently published a new report on the subject.   

This adds up to over 3.2 million people working in the renewable energy sector, according to E2. 

However, recent policy changes coming out of Washington, D.C., have slowed this progress, threatening Americans' employment prospects and the transition to cleaner, renewable sources of energy.

With billions of dollars in tax credits and other government incentives ending early or being slashed altogether, the U.S. saw $22 billion in renewable energy projects canceled in the first half of 2025, costing an estimated 16,500 jobs, according to a previous analysis by E2.

Renewable energy "was one of the hottest and most promising job sectors in the country at the end of 2024," said Bob Keefe, the executive director of E2, according to E360, a publication by the Yale School of the Environment. "Now, clean energy job growth is at serious risk — and with it, our overall economy."

Despite the slowdown, broader trends still show the U.S. economy — and employment prospects — continually shifting toward cleaner, renewable energy. In addition to wind turbine technicians and solar installers, other renewable energy-related fields involve "batteries, energy efficiency, grid upgrades, biofuels, and electric cars," according to E360.

With both the employment prospects of millions of Americans and the nation's ability to combat rising global temperatures on the line, there are ways to push back against recent policy changes. If the U.S. changes course again soon, the 2025 figures could end up being just a blip on the radar. 

Are you thinking about installing solar panels in the near future? Yes 👍 No 👎 I'm on the fence 🤔 Maybe a few years from now 📅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

To help push for a return to policies that favored renewable energy production and the jobs that come with it, you can contact your elected representatives and vote for candidates who share your energy priorities. 

Further, regardless of the policies coming out of Washington, you can help support the renewable energy industry, save money on your electric bill, and reduce planet-heating pollution by installing solar panels on your home. 

EnergySage takes the complexity out of solar installations with a variety of powerful yet easy-to-use online tools. These include a powerful mapping tool that lets you see the average cost of a solar installation in your area, as well as the rebates, tax credits, and other financial incentives available where you live, saving customers up to $10,000. EnergySage even allows you to easily compare quotes from pre-screened local installers. 

To push the environmental and cost-saving benefits of home solar even further, you can pair your solar panels with energy-efficient electric appliances like heat pumps, which can save you as much as $400 per year on HVAC costs. To figure out which affordable heat pump option is right for your home, check out Mitsubishi's free website. 

With tax credits for home solar sunsetting Dec. 31, you must act fast to take advantage of thousands of dollars in potential savings. 

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.