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 | Illinois

Illinois
ENERGY AND EMPLOYMENT — 2020

Overview
Illinois has a low concentration of energy employment, with 114,071
Traditional Energy workers statewide (representing 3.3 percent of all U.S.
Traditional Energy jobs). Of these Traditional Energy workers, 31,018 are inElectric Power Generation, 33,080 are in Fuels, and 49,973 are inTransmission, Distribution, and Storage. The Traditional Energy sector inIllinois is 1.9 percent of total state employment (compared to 2.3 percentof national employment). Illinois has an additional 91,024 jobs in Energy
Efficiency (3.8 percent of all U.S. Energy Efficiency jobs) and 104,976 jobs
in Motor Vehicles (4.1 percent of all U.S. Motor Vehicle jobs).
Figure IL-1.
Employment by Major Energy Technology Application
120,000
104,031 104,976
100,000

89,46991,02480,00060,00040,00050,577 49,973
30,388 31,018 32,765 33,080

20,000Electric Power
GenerationFuels

Transmission, Energy Efficiency Motor Vehicles
Distribution, andStorage20182019

Overall, Traditional Energy jobs grew by 0.3 percent since the 2019 report,increasing by 341 jobs over the period. Energy Efficiency jobs added 1,555
jobs (1.7 percent) and motor vehicles added 945 jobs (0.9 percent).

IL — 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 | Illinois

Breakdown by Technology Applications
ELECTRIC POWER GENERATIONElectric Power Generation employs 31,018 workers in Illinois, 3.5 percent of
the national total and adding 631 jobs over the past year (2.1 percent).
Wind makes up the largest segment of employment related to ElectricPower Generation, with 8,763 jobs (up 0.7 percent), followed by traditional
fossil fuel generation at 7,376 jobs (down -2.9 percent).
Figure IL-2.
Electric Power Generation Employment by Detailed Technology Application
8,763
5,917
4,613

Less than 50%
solar: 404

3,774

2,280

Majority of+me solar:
5,513

ydroNa
el
ec
tu
tri
rac…
lG
as
Ge
ne
ratio
nCo
alGe
ne
Oiratio
l&nOt
herF
ossilFu
Nu
elcle…
arGe
neratioOtn
herG
ener
at
ionra
tio
n482

tio
nalH

ene
Tr
adi

W
indEl
ectri

cGGe
neratio
n760

ct
ricSo
larE
le4,429

Construction is the largest industry sector in Electric Power Generation,with 31.8 percent of jobs. Utilities are next with 25.5 percent.
Figure IL-3.
Electric Power Generation by Industry Sector

9,872
7,917

7,829

3,343
1,413

644
Utilities

Construction

Manufacturing

IL — 2

Trade

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 | Illinois
FUELS
Fuels employs 33,080 workers in Illinois, 2.9 percent of the national total,
up 1.0 percent over the past year. Petroleum and other fossil fuels makes
up the largest segment of employment related to Fuels.
Figure IL-4.
Fuels Employment by Detailed Technology Application

21,286

3,622

Coal

3,423

1,565
Oil & OtherPetroleum

1,120

Natural Gas Corn Ethanol Other Ethanol/ Non-woody
Biomass

1,814

249
Woody
Biomass

Other Fuels

Manufacturing jobs represent 30.0 percent of Fuels jobs in Illinois.
Figure IL-5.
Fuels Employment by Industry Sector

9,918
6,998
3,989

7,172

4,727

276

Agriculture and Mining &Forestry
Extraction

Construction Manufacturing

IL — 3

Trade

Professional Other ServicesServices

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 | Illinois
TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION AND STORAGE
Transmission, Distribution, and Storage employs 49,973 workers in Illinois,
3.6 percent of the national total, down 1.2 percent or 604 jobs since the2018 report.
Figure IL-6.
Transmission, Distribution and Storage Employment by Detailed Technology
32,421

13,742

Traditional Transmission
and Distribution

2,335

1,474

Storage

Smart Grid

Micro Grid & Other

Utilities are responsible for the largest percentage of Transmission,
Distribution, and Storage jobs in Illinois, with 35.9 percent of such jobs
statewide.
Figure IL-7.
Transmission, Distribution and Storage Employment by Industry Sector
17,948

9,596

9,160

1,617

er
vic
esrS
Ot
heionalServiceseline
PipIL — 4Professort&…

804

Tr
ansp

Trade

M
anufacturingru
ct
ion
Co
nst

Utiliti
es

2,989

7,859

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 | Illinois
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The 91,024 Energy Efficiency jobs in Illinois represent 3.8 percent of all U.S.
Energy Efficiency jobs, adding 1,555 jobs (1.7 percent) since last year. The
largest number of these employees work in (traditional HVAC firms,
followed by high efficiency HVAC and renewable heating and cooling.
Figure IL-8.
Energy Efficiency Employment by Detailed Technology Application
31,32728,715

13,855
8,290

Energy Star &Efficient Lighting

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

8,837

Other

Energy Efficiency employment is primarily found in the constructionindustry.
Figure IL-9.
Energy Efficiency Employment by Industry Sector

44,48320,08818,312

6,468
1,674
Construction Manufacturing

Trade

Professional Other Services
Services

IL — 5

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 | IllinoisMOTOR VEHICLES
Motor Vehicle employment accounts for 104,976 jobs in Illinois, up 945
jobs over the past year (0.9 percent). The industry sector that accounts forthe largest fraction of Motor Vehicle jobs is repair and maintenance.
Figure IL-10.
Motor Vehicle Employment by Industry Sector
41,331

40,56315,805
4,108

3,169
Manufacturing

Trade

Professional
Services

Repair andMaintenanceCommodity Flows

Workforce Characteristics
EMPLOYER GROWTH
Employers in Illinois are more optimistic to their peers across the country
in regards to their job growth over the next year in Traditional Energy (3.7percent versus 3.2 percent nationally). Energy Efficiency employers expect
to add 3,621 jobs in Energy Efficiency (4.0 percent) and Motor Vehicles
employers expect to add 3,018 jobs (2.9 percent) over the next year.
Table IL-1
Projected Growth by Major Technology Application.
State Projected
Growth Next 12Months(percent)

Technology

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

Electric Power Generation
Electric Power Transmission, Distribution, andStorage
Energy Efficiency

5.7

4.8

2.6

3.5

4.0

3.0

Fuels

3.41.7Motor Vehicles

2.9

3.1

IL — 6

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 | Illinois
HIRING DIFFICULTY
Over the last year, 39.3 percent of energy-related employers in Illinois
hired new employees. These employers reported the greatest overall
difficulty in hiring workers for jobs in Motor Vehicles.
Table IL-2
Hiring Difficulty by Major Technology Application.
Very Difficult(percent)

TechnologySomewhat
Difficult (percent)Not at All
Difficult(percent)Electric Power Generation
Electric Power Transmission, Distribution, andStorage
Energy Efficiency

12.5

52.8

34.7

21.3

47.8

30.9

61.4

28.9

9.6

Fuels

36.9

35.0

28.1

Motor Vehicles

32.7

58.1

9.2

Employers in Illinois gave the following as the top three reasons for theirreported difficulty:
1. Lack of experience, training, or technical skills
2. Competition/ small applicant pool
3. Insufficient non-technical skills (work ethic, dependability, criticalthinking)Employers reported the following as the three most difficult occupations
to hire for:1. Technician or mechanical support — $21.25 median hourly wage
2. Management (directors, supervisors, vice presidents) — $43.21
median hourly wage
3. Sales, marketing, or customer service — $32.37 median hourly wage

IL — 7