The 2018 New York Clean Energy Industry Report , released this month by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, shows that over 151,000 workers are now employed across the state in the clean-energy sector with over 5,600 jobs added last year.

Also in October, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced $27.5 million in new funding is available for  workforce development and training initiatives to support his clean-energy mandate for half of electricity to come from renewable energy by 2030 and the statewide goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030.

Priority populations for the training include low-income individuals, veterans, Native Americans, disabled workers, displaced power-plant workers, and the formerly incarcerated, according to a release from the governor’s office.

Workforce funding includes:

— $7 million for Energy Efficiency and Clean Technology Training;

— $10 million for On-the-Job Training; and

— $10.5 million Clean Energy Internship Program.

The 2018 New York Clean Energy Industry Report compares data on clean-energy jobs, geographic distribution, and employee needs, showing patterns and trends to inform policy recommendations about how to meet New York’s climate goals, help create jobs, and drive economic opportunity across the state.

In 2017, New York’s clean-energy jobs increased roughly 4 percent — outpacing statewide average employment growth of 1.6 percent during the same time — bringing the total number of clean-energy jobs to more than 151,000. New York now ranks third nationally both for energy-efficiency employment and solar jobs, and other sectors such as grid modernization and energy storage are growing at a fast pace, according to the release.

Key findings from this year’s report include:

— Energy efficiency is the largest clean energy technology category in terms of jobs and investments, employing 117,300 workers in 2017 with firms receiving over $4.1 billion in investments since 2011;

— Clean-energy employers expect to hire over 8,000 new workers in 2018;

— Clean energy provides opportunities in all regions of the state. New Yorkers are rapidly embracing clean energy options, which is fueling job growth in communities across the state;and

— Firms in the grid modernization and energy storage technology category are growing fast and are positioned to grow much more. It was the fastest-growing category in terms of employment for 2017 with nearly 12.6-percent growth.

The report also shows that the rapid growth throughout New York’s clean-energy sector is outpacing the supply of skilled energy workers in the state.