Green Economy
In its capacity as the EDA Center, supporting green economic development, the Voorhees Center has targeted 9 emerging segments of the local green economy that have the potential to benefit the Calumet Region. The segments are outlined in greater detail below.
Sizing Up Our Region's Green Economy Heading link
This report provides data on the size and growth rate of the green/clean economy for Cook County, the Chicago Region, and the U.S. as a whole from 2005 to 2015. In addition to tracking employment and establishment figures for different geographies in different segments of the clean economy, the report also focuses on measures of regional specialization and growth performance. For more information and to read the report in full, please click here.
Biofuel Heading link
Included in the Biofuel segment are NAICS sectors such as: ethyl alcohol manufacturing; other basic organic chemical manufacturing; wet corn milling; soybean processing; grain and field bean wholesalers; and petrochemical manufacturing.
- 1,051 jobs
- 26 establishments
- 46% job growth from 2005-2015
- $85,392 average annual wage
- 1.66 Location Quotient
Green Chemical Products Heading link
Green Chemical NAICS sectors include plastics material and resin manufacturing; paint and coating manufacturing; nitrogenous fertilizer manufacturing; polish and other sanitation good manufacturing; and adhesive manufacturing.
- 935 jobs
- 31 establishments
- 11% job growth from 2005-2015
- $70,595 average annual wage
- 1.23 Location Quotient
Green Architecture Heading link
Green Architecture NAICS sectors include architectural services; engineering services; commercial building construction; and plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors.
- 3,779 jobs
- 473 establishments
- 17% job growth from 2005-2015
- $85,422 average annual wage
- 1.9 Location Quotient
Lighting Heading link
Lighting NAICS sectors include electric lighting fixture manufacturing; lamp and part manufacturing; residential lighting fixture manufacturing; other lighting equipment manufacturing; semiconductor manufacturing; electrical equipment wholesalers; and sign manufacturing.
- 1,241 jobs
- 49 establishments
- 21% job growth from 2005-2015
- $60,713 average annual wage
- 2.51 Location Quotient
Food Production and Distribution Heading link
The Food Production and Distribution segment is composed of NAICS industries such as grocery wholesalers; other food manufacturing; fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing; bakeries and tortilla manufacturing; animal slaughtering and processing; support activities for crop production; grain and oilseed milling; and fruit and nut farming.
- 3,861 jobs
- 182 establishments
- 73% job growth from 2005-2015
- $59,166 average annual wage
Solar Photovoltaic Heading link
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) is a technology that converts sunlight directly into energy through semiconductors such as solar panels. This method produces no pollution and emits no greenhouse gases. Solar PV NAICS sectors include semiconductor and related device manufacturing; plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors; and semiconductor machinery manufacturing.
- 169 jobs
- 25 establishments
- 1,310% job growth from 2005-2015
- $135,719 national average annual wage
Solar Thermal Heading link
Solar thermal energy is a form of renewable energy that captures heat from the sun and uses it for heating and/or the production of electricity. Solar thermal NAICS sectors include heating equipment manufacturing (except furnaces); other building material dealers; paint and coating manufacturing; aluminum extruded product manufacturing; and HVAC contractors.
- 28 jobs
- 2 establishments
- 115% job growth from 2005-2015
- $87,676 national average annual wage
Waste Management and Treatment Heading link
Waste management and treatment is the process by which waste is collected, transported, treated and disposed. This field has the highest number of jobs within the green economy at both the national and regional levels. Waste management and treatment NAICS sectors include administration of air and water resource and solid waste management programs; solid waste landfill; other nonhazardous waste treatment and disposal; sewage treatment; and solid waste collection.
- 16,535 jobs
- 1,072 establishments
- 37% job growth from 2005-2015
- $67,898 national average annual wage
- 1.23 Location Quotient
Wind Heading link
Wind power is a kinetic energy that is captured by wind turbines and used to generate electricity. Wind NAICS sectors include turbine and turbine generator set units manufacturing; electrical contractors; and motor and generator manufacturing.
- 284 jobs
- 19 establishments
- 68% job growth from 2005-2015
- $93,054 national average annual wage