What it is
NREL's Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models estimate the employment, earnings, and economic output effects of constructing and operating power plants across renewable and conventional technologies. The input-output models calculate on-site jobs, supply chain jobs, and induced economic activity at state or national level. Models are freely available for wind, solar, geothermal, marine, coal, and natural gas.
Why we picked this
Energy transition debates often center on job claims. JEDI provides the quantitative framework for evaluating those claims rigorously. The models have been used by agencies, utilities, and consultants for over a decade, making them the standard tool for economic impact assessments of energy projects in the United States.
Key takeaways
- JEDI models estimate that a 100 MW wind farm creates approximately 3,000-4,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction and 40-50 permanent operations jobs.
- The models distinguish between on-site jobs, local supply chain jobs, and induced jobs (spending by workers), providing granular economic analysis.
- JEDI has been used in over 1,000 economic impact studies cited in permitting applications, policy analyses, and investor presentations.