by Aileen Villa
“Uncertainty” is probably the single word that I’ve been hearing the most these days in the weeks after the 2024 presidential election. I hear it on work calls about strategy and attempts to set expectations in the energy industry, from concerned small business owners, on phone calls and hangouts with friends, and while having meals with family. Yet, it always resonates.
It helps to be active in my communities and keep my mind occupied with other tasks like reading speculative fiction, though it’s also helped to focus my attention on other maybe seemingly small wins (that I know will have a huge impact!).
Focusing on what I do know and having conversations with folks doing important work in energy and the environment sparks optimism and hope.
For the past few months, I devoted time and effort to elements of the 2024 Energy Efficiency Jobs in America report (coming very soon!). As we narrow in on publication of this report (based on data from a survey conducted in 2023), I find myself drawn to smaller details and pieces of data, in particular those of my home state of Arizona, where the progress and growth is promising.
Top-level EE Job Growth in Arizona
Looking at the data, there is plenty that is consistent with the energy industry from previous years. For example, for the 5th year in a row energy efficiency is reported to be the largest energy sector in the state, as it continues to significantly outnumber sectors such as the fossil fuel sector and traditional transmission, distribution, and storage. However, you’ll also find that Arizona’s EE sector experienced even more growth than before.
Arizona’s energy efficiency workforce has increased by nearly 4% — a higher growth rate than that of previous years.
On a deeper level, you’ll find that all but one congressional district in Arizona saw an increase in energy efficiency jobs, with most having upwards of a few hundred new EE jobs. Even further, EE employers reported an increase in EE jobs for every single metropolitan area in the state — with over one thousand new EE jobs in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale area. Still, this growth did not occur solely in the large cities, as EE job growth was reported from rural areas in Arizona as well.
Like most other states, Arizona experienced a drastic decline in EE jobs after the Covid-19 pandemic first started, losing over five thousand jobs 2019-20. The pandemic is not over, but the industry has persevered thanks to the energy workers that have built it back up in the ensuing years. As a result, the total number of energy efficiency jobs in Arizona is almost equal to what it was before the pandemic and is on track to surpass this number in the next couple of years.
The data above is more than numbers. It represents real people who are committed to their roles in advancing energy efficiency throughout the Grand Canyon State. This brings me back to a recent e-conversation with a business owner based in AZ, who graciously took the time to answer my questions.
A Conversation with Eli Chamberlain from CozyHome
I had the pleasure of being virtually introduced to Eli by folks at the Building Performance Association. Eli owns CozyHome, LLC, an Energy Star-qualified energy efficiency contractor serving cities and towns in Coconino and Yavapai Counties.
I asked Eli about his career journey and his perspectives on the growth of EE in Arizona.
When he was growing up, Eli accompanied his father, a general contractor, to jobsites where he helped on projects wherever possible. Having this construction background, coupled with a desire to go into a field “that would help tackle climate change” after graduating from college, facilitated Eli’s transition into the energy efficiency industry.
CozyHome came to life in 2012, after Eli had a chance to work with several companies in energy efficiency. He says of CozyHome’s establishment, “I decided that I wanted to chart my own path and put to use the lessons I learned from my former employer’s successes and failures. Focusing on fixing comfort issues while saving homeowners money on energy costs became our goal, along with reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” He tells me that in 2020, CozyHome actually expanded to offer HVAC services as well, and he and his team have since been large proponents of electrifying homes with heat pumps.
When asked about Arizona EE employers’ optimism regarding EE job growth, Eli mentioned a source of major excitement among energy professionals, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and briefly described how CozyHome has been preparing for the shift that the IRA is expected to bring.
With the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, we have been anxiously awaiting the subsequent rebate programs and have been ramping up our capacity in the last year or so to meet the anticipated demand. We have steadily increased business since we first started in 2012 as more and more people become interested in investing in energy efficiency upgrades in their homes. Once Arizona’s HOMES and HEAR rebate programs start at the end of 2024 we anticipate a big boost in demand for our services.
Reassurance not only from the aforementioned reported data but directly from individual energy professionals is extremely valuable, which is why it is also important to pay attention to barriers that they experience and foresee in the industry. I posed this question to Eli, asking about any obstacles that either currently inhibit or in the future may inhibit EE job growth in AZ that either elected officials or EE employers need to prioritize.
One of the frequent hurdles we face time and time again is finding well-trained field personnel that can hit the ground running once hired. We invest a lot of time and energy into training our employees and a robust workforce development program would go a long way for the Arizona EE industry as a whole.
This sentiment has been echoed across the EE industry, as have calls for workforce development initiatives nationwide. Campaigns for workforce development initiatives such as energy efficiency-focused apprenticeships have just started to become more widespread, and advocating for resources to be allocated toward these initiatives is important.
In particular, we see in Arizona that there are significant racial and gendered gaps in the EE industry. Black and Indigenous people, as well as other people of Color make up less than 25% of the EE industry, and women make up about 25% of the industry (the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics only includes the option of “male” and “female” energy professionals in their survey, so unfortunately there is no data on professionals of other genders). Robust workforce development programs could achieve so much to advance the EE industry, expand capacity for EE establishments, and secure career opportunities for communities that have historically been disenfranchised from access to such opportunities.
I started this blog by talking about the uncertainty that is currently surrounding many people and spaces. Our optimism and positive expectations for energy are important, but I wanted to also hear from Eli on any reflections he’s had on persevering through so much uncertainty and through the barriers that first rose with the start of the pandemic. I want folks to know that it was and still is possible to persevere and pivot through such a big shift.
What has navigating the world of energy efficiency throughout the different stages of the ongoing pandemic taught you?
We have learned to be adaptable, shifting focus on expanding our services to help diversify our business income.
Now, as energy efficiency steadily rises again, there are a number of national initiatives focused on educating youth about opportunities to get involved with the EE sector. Is there any advice you can share with Arizona youth and other residents hoping to get into the industry?
It’s a great time to step into the energy efficiency industry. The effects of climate change have inspired young people to do something about a problem they had very little to do with creating. Efforts are growing to take action, and I believe the EE industry is one of the most tangible, hands-on industries that really make you feel like you are making a difference. There is tremendous job security, since these jobs are local and cannot be outsourced or taken over by AI. In the 16 years that I have been in the industry, this is by far the most exciting time I have experienced and there is a big wave of momentum right now.
Lastly, I’m sharing Eli’s response when I asked if there was anything not covered that he wanted to mention:
One of the aspects that I’m most excited about with the Inflation Reduction Act is its focus on low income and disadvantaged communities. Many families are stuck with high utility costs because they don’t have the upfront capital to make improvements even though these improvements would quickly pay for themselves in energy savings. Up front rebates change that, and I think it will be a huge relief for households that need it the most.
I very much appreciate Eli’s perspective in all his responses. I feel very hopeful not only from his excitement and confidence in the continued growth of the EE industry, but also from the tangible efforts he discusses that are still needed to ensure the sustainability and longevity of the industry. We all have important roles within energy efficiency and its intersections with other systemic issues. Despite so much uncertainty, I hope we can all feel further driven by the work that has been achieved and by many people’s unwavering commitment to the environment.
To view the stats on energy efficiency jobs in your own home state, visit the Arizona link and select another state. Stay tuned for the full 2024 Energy Efficiency Jobs in America report publication on December 16th.
–Aileen Villa is a Policy Fellow transitioning out of their role at E4TheFuture at the end of 2024