A new article from EcoWatch:
Job creation serves as one of the most frequently touted benefits of solar energy. You hear it all over the news: in presidential campaigns, senate bills, from conservationists and clean energy advocates alike. Heck, even conservative Texas governor Greg Abbott recently told Texans that solar can create jobs and add to the state’s energy security. But what does this really look like? What are the jobs being created?
To start, let’s take a look at the numbers. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the U.S. solar industry employed 231,474 workers in 2020. It grew more diverse, with workforce shares at all-time highs across most demographic measures of diversity (though there’s still work to be done on this front). Of this workforce, over 10% are unionized, a figure above the national average and comparable with similar construction trades.
Wages within solar companies are on par with or higher than wages for U.S. workers in similar occupations. What’s more, while the solar industry is on a trajectory to reach 400,000 solar jobs by 2030, employment is projected to exceed 900,000 workers by 2035 if we’re working to meet the 100% clean electricity goal set by President Biden.
So if you’re entering the workforce, or thinking about how to shift toward a career in sustainable energy, let’s walk through what getting a job in the solar industry might entail. Read the full article on EcoWatch.