[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Nearly 100,000 workers in Illinois are employed in clean energy jobs. The clean energy industry – including renewable energy and energy efficiency – is roughly the size of Illinois’ real estate and accounting industries combined.

Illinois’ clean energy industry is a growth-stage industry, with an average firm size of six employees and projected employment growth of 9% every year.

Clean energy workers are manufacturing wind and solar equipment, building and operating clean energy projects and installing and upgrading energy efficiency systems. Thanks to these jobs, Illinois families and businesses are saving energy and cutting their electricity bills. No wonder voters overwhelmingly back clean energy:

• 84% of Illinois voters want to prioritize a clean energy future and more towards cleaner sources of energy

• 75% see renewable energy and energy efficiency as secure, reliable and affordable.

• More than 65% recognize renewable energy and energy efficiency as sources of job creation.

• More than 68% recognize that renewable energy and energy efficiency stabilize or reduce energy costs.

The message from Illinoisans is clear: Voters want legislators to prioritize voter-supported renewable energy and energy efficiency, supporting policies that maximize Illinois clean energy jobs.

Data from survey conducted by a bipartisan research team of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3) and Public Opinion Strategies. More info on this poll is available at ilenviro.org/cleanenergypoll.