AAPI Trends in the Clean Energy Workforce
It’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. The AAPI community is an integral part of our growing clean energy economy. From solar to wind to geothermal, AAPI workers are helping to drive the clean energy transition – and it is beginning to show in our workforce.
AAPI workers represent around 8 percent of the clean energy workforce, slightly higher than both the overall energy industry and the national average. Looking into specific sectors, their share of the workforce is even higher. In the solar industry, AAPI workers constitute 9% of the workforce, while in the wind industry, this figure rises to 10%.
Plus, the AAPI community is represented at the heights of the decarbonization movement. They are thought leaders and activists. Kristy Drutman is a Filipina-American climate activist who founded Brown Girl Green, an online platform educating people about environmental justice and sustainability. Through her platform and podcast, Kristy interviews environmental leaders and advocates around the world fighting for climate action. She also co-founded the Green Jobs Board to help countless people find high-quality environmental and social impact careers.
And there are business leaders leading the charge too. Just look at True Power: an Asian-owned business bringing solar energy to southern California where 80% of their customers are of Asian descent. True Power’s CEO, Tontong Yin, is also proud to boast the organization has a largely AAPI employee base. The organization has brought its knowledge of solar to many cultural events, including hosting a SunPower Roadshow at the 2022 Asian American Expo. Organizations like True Power are doing their part to increase AAPI representation in the clean energy workforce and bring clean energy to diverse communities.
However, there is more progress to be made. Across our nation’s workforce, representation for the AAPI community in leadership positions has been lacking, especially for AAPI women. The clean energy industry specifically has long been (rightfully) criticized for its lack of representation, and much work remains to be done. At CE4A, we want to take AAPI Heritage Month as an opportunity to spark a dialogue on finding ways to make our industry a more diverse and inclusive space.
The IRA is projected to create over 1.5 million new clean energy jobs by 2030. The booming clean energy job market represents a great opportunity for our industry to demonstrate a more accurate reflection of our nation’s demographic landscape.
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This AAPI Heritage Month, we want to hear from you. Have you seen any effective initiatives companies have taken to increase AAPI representation? Let us know by emailing comms@ceforamerica.org
