MORE AND MORE JOBS IN SOLAR

The Solar Foundation Reports 13% Growth in U.S. Solar Jobs; Annual National Solar Jobs Census finds more than 119,000 employed by solar industry

November 2, 2012 (The Solar Foundation)

“The Solar Foundation (TSF)…third annual National Solar Jobs Census found that the U.S. solar industry employs 119,016 Americans…[an] addition of 13,872 workers and a 13.2% employment growth rate over the previous year…TSF also revised the 2011 total jobs number from 100,237 to 105,145…

The National Solar Jobs Census 2012 measured employment growth in the solar industry between September 2011 and September 2012. During the same period, employment in the overall economy grew at a rate of 2.3% (BLS), while the fossil fuel electric generation industry shed 3,857 jobs or 3.77% of its workforce (EMSI)…”

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“Nearly one third of employers who responded to the survey cited the continued decline in component prices as the primary driver of employment growth. State legislation enacting Renewable Portfolio Standards or authorizing third-party system ownership and federal tax incentives were other leading drivers of growth…

“The Solar Foundation and BW Research used an improved version of the Solar Energy Industries Association’s National Solar Database to refine the methods used in the Census and reach more employers…[T]he survey examined employment along the solar value chain, including installation, wholesale trade, manufacturing, utilities and all other fields and includes growth rates and job numbers for 31 separate occupations…”

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