The number of jobs supported by the wind industry has cracked the 100,000 mark, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Energy.
As Energy Central reports, the milestone means wind power now employs more workers than nuclear, natural gas, coal, or hydroelectric power plants. And one out of every four of those wind workers are employed in the state of Texas.
And wind doesn’t appear to be slowing down, either. According to an earlier DOE report, the U.S. could add almost 400,000 more wind jobs in the next thirteen years.
The good wind news comes on the heels of another report last month showing that solar energy now employs double the number of jobs in oil, coal and gas combined.
These numbers show that rural residents are learning new skills and adapting to a changing world, as traditional fossil fuel revenue streams have slowed in recent years.
