U S E N E R G Y + E M P L O Y M E N T R E P O R T 2 0 2 0 | ArkansasArkansas
ENERGY AND EMPLOYMENT — 2020Overview
Arkansas has an average concentration of energy employment, with27,805 Traditional Energy workers statewide (representing 0.8 percent ofall U.S. Traditional Energy jobs). Of these Traditional Energy workers,
3,884 are in Electric Power Generation, 8,558 are in Fuels, and 15,362 are inTransmission, Distribution, and Storage. The Traditional Energy sector inArkansas is 2.3 percent of total state employment (compared to 2.3
percent of national employment). Arkansas has an additional 15,492 jobs in
Energy Efficiency (0.7 percent of all U.S. Energy Efficiency jobs) and20,893 jobs in Motor Vehicles (0.8 percent of all U.S. Motor Vehicle jobs).
Figure AR-1.
Employment by Major Energy Technology Application
25,00020,159 20,893

20,00015,371 15,362

15,0008,493 8,558

10,0005,000

15,147 15,492

3,610 3,884

Electric Power
GenerationFuels

Transmission, Energy Efficiency
Distribution, andStorage
2018

Motor Vehicles

2019

Overall, Traditional Energy jobs grew by 1.2 percent since the 2019 report,increasing by 331 jobs over the period. Energy Efficiency jobs added 344
jobs (2.3 percent) and motor vehicles added 734 jobs (3.6 percent).

AR — 1U S E N E R G Y + E M P L O Y M E N T R E P O R T 2 0 2 0 | Arkansas

Breakdown by Technology Applications
ELECTRIC POWER GENERATIONElectric Power Generation employs 3,884 workers in Arkansas, 0.4 percentof the national total and adding 274 jobs over the past year (7.6 percent).
Traditional fossil fuel generation makes up the largest segment ofemployment related to Electric Power Generation, with 1,007 jobs (up 27.7percent), followed by wind at 888 jobs (up 1.3 percent).
Figure AR-2.
Electric Power Generation Employment by Detailed Technology Application
998

888
673

519

411

Less than 50%
solar: 82

321
61

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ossil
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larElectricGe
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Majority of+me solar: 329

Utilities are the largest industry sector in Electric Power Generation, with
58.2 percent of jobs. Construction is next with 16.1 percent.
Figure AR-3.
Electric Power Generation by Industry Sector
2,260

625

Utilities

Construction

439

Manufacturing

AR — 2313

Trade90157

Professional
Services

Other Services

U S E N E R G Y + E M P L O Y M E N T R E P O R T 2 0 2 0 | Arkansas
FUELS
Fuels employs 8,558 workers in Arkansas, 0.7 percent of the national total,
up 0.8 percent over the past year. Petroleum and other fossil fuels makes
up the largest segment of employment related to Fuels.
Figure AR-4.
Fuels Employment by Detailed Technology Application
4,457

2,037

377

125
Coal

Oil & OtherPetroleum

422

Natural Gas Corn Ethanol Other Ethanol/ Non-woody
Biomass695

Woody
Biomass

446
Other Fuels

Professional and business services jobs represent 27.2 percent of Fuels
jobs in Arkansas.
Figure AR-5.
Fuels Employment by Industry Sector
2,324

2,144

2,012

1,053

1,021

3

Agricultureand Forestry

Mining &Extraction

Construction Manufacturing

AR — 3

Trade

Professional Other Services
ServicesU S E N E R G Y + E M P L O Y M E N T R E P O R T 2 0 2 0 | Arkansas
TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION AND STORAGE
Transmission, Distribution, and Storage employs 15,362 workers inArkansas, 1.1 percent of the national total, down 0.1 percent or 8 jobs sincethe 2018 report.
Figure AR-6.
Transmission, Distribution and Storage Employment by Detailed Technology

11,553

3,330

Traditional Transmission
and Distribution

332

148

Storage

Smart Grid

Micro Grid & OtherUtilities are responsible for the largest percentage of Transmission,
Distribution, and Storage jobs in Arkansas, with 43.5 percent of such jobs
statewide.
Figure AR-7.
Transmission, Distribution and Storage Employment by Industry Sector
6,683
5,048

1,546
564

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84
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Tr
ade
Tr
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an
ufac
tu
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ct
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Utilities

1,352

U S E N E R G Y + E M P L O Y M E N T R E P O R T 2 0 2 0 | Arkansas
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The 15,492 Energy Efficiency jobs in Arkansas represent 0.7 percent of all
U.S. Energy Efficiency jobs, adding 344 jobs (2.3 percent) since last year.
The largest number of these employees work in (other energy efficiency
products and services firms, followed by traditional HVAC.
Figure AR-8.
Energy Efficiency Employment by Detailed Technology Application
6,293

2,212

3,1532,966
868

Energy Star &Efficient Lighting

Traditional HVACHigh Efficiency & Advanced Materials
Renewable Heating and Insulation& Cooling

Other

Energy Efficiency employment is primarily found in the constructionindustry.
Figure AR-9.
Energy Efficiency Employment by Industry Sector
10,573

1,924

Construction

Manufacturing

1,005
Trade

AR — 5

1,702
288
Professional ServicesOther Services

U S E N E R G Y + E M P L O Y M E N T R E P O R T 2 0 2 0 | Arkansas
MOTOR VEHICLES
Motor Vehicle employment accounts for 20,893 jobs in Arkansas, up 734
jobs over the past year (3.6 percent). The industry sector that accounts forthe largest fraction of Motor Vehicle jobs is manufacturing.
Figure AR-10.
Motor Vehicle Employment by Industry Sector
7,506

7,008

3,626
2,428
325
Manufacturing

Trade

Professional
Services

Repair andMaintenanceCommodity Flows

Workforce Characteristics
EMPLOYER GROWTH
Employers in Arkansas are less optimistic to their peers across the country
in regards to their job growth over the next year in Traditional Energy (2.7percent versus 3.2 percent nationally). Energy Efficiency employers expect
to add 888 jobs in Energy Efficiency (5.7 percent) and Motor Vehicles
employers expect to add 677 jobs (3.2 percent) over the next year.
Table AR-1
Projected Growth by Major Technology Application.

Technology
Electric Power Generation
Electric Power Transmission, Distribution, andStorage
Energy Efficiency
Fuels
Motor Vehicles

AR — 6

State Projected
Growth Next 12
Months(percent)
4.5

U.S. Projected
Growth Next 12Months(percent)
4.8

1.8

3.5

5.7
3.6
3.2

3.0
1.7
3.1

U S E N E R G Y + E M P L O Y M E N T R E P O R T 2 0 2 0 | Arkansas
HIRING DIFFICULTY
Over the last year, 63.6 percent of energy-related employers in Arkansas
hired new employees. These employers reported the greatest overall
difficulty in hiring workers for jobs in Electric Power Transmission,
Distribution, and Storage.
Table AR-2
Hiring Difficulty by Major Technology Application.
Technology
Electric Power Generation
Electric Power Transmission,
Distribution, and Storage
Energy Efficiency
Fuels
Motor Vehicles

VeryDifficult(percent)
23.7

Somewhat
Difficult(percent)68.1

Not at AllDifficult(percent)
8.2

24.1

69.0

6.9

42.1
32.2
42.3

36.8
43.2
47.4

21.1
24.6
10.2

Employers in Arkansas gave the following as the top three reasons fortheir reported difficulty:
1.

Insufficient non-technical skills (work ethic, dependability, criticalthinking)
2. Lack of experience, training, or technical skills
3. Competition/ small applicant pool
Employers reported the following as the three most difficult occupations
to hire for:1. Technician or mechanical support — $21.58 median hourly wage
2. Installation workers — $20.77 median hourly wage
3. Electrician/construction workers — $22.82 median hourly wage

AR — 7