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Displaying how a lot the photo voltaic business is each 1) a serious supply of jobs within the US and a pair of) a quick rising section of the economic system, the 14th annual Nationwide Photo voltaic Jobs Census by the Interstate Renewable Vitality Council (IREC) was simply printed and consists of two massive stats: 15,564 photo voltaic jobs have been created in 2023, and which means the yr ended with a report 279,447 photo voltaic employees by the top of the yr.
Not solely that, however in the event you’re somewhat broader along with your definition of a photo voltaic employee, the full will get significantly larger. “The Solar Jobs Census defines a solar worker as someone spending the majority of their time on solar-related work. When those who spend less than half of their time on solar are included, the total rises to 364,544 workers. When including energy storage workers, there were 454,136 workers who spent at least part of their time on either solar energy or clean storage.” That’s nearly half one million jobs!
Naturally, there are various elementary components relating to solar energy that make it aggressive, make it dominate new energy capability, and result in so many roles. One has to notice that the Inflation Discount Act Biden and Democrats handed two years in the past has been having a substantial impact. “Federal policies like the Inflation Reduction Act are helping drive a historic level of clean energy deployment and job creation,” Larry Sherwood, IREC President and CEO, famous. Additionally, rooftop photo voltaic markets in some states actually received rolling, whereas a big pipeline of utility-scale tasks led to many roles.
“The utility-scale solar job market saw a turnaround in 2023, adding nearly 2,000 jobs (a 6.8% increase) and reversing a decline in 2022. The residential market also saw gains with nearly 6,000 jobs added (6.3% growth), but this marked a slowdown compared to 2022 when residential jobs grew by 11%,” IREC notes.
“Solar jobs increased in 47 states in 2023, with notable increases in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and Nevada. An interactive map of solar jobs by state, with links to state-specific fact sheets, is available at SolarJobsCensus.org.”
Apparently, the photo voltaic business can also be unionizing increasingly. It’s not close to a majority scenario, however IREC notes that the proportion of unionized workers climbed three share factors to 13.4%, which is sort of twice as excessive because the unionization charge throughout the personal sector basically.
The business is main in different methods as effectively. Nonetheless, IREC notes there’s nonetheless room for enchancment. “The solar industry continues to outpace the rest of the economy when it comes to employing Gen Z, veteran, and union workers, but only a quarter of the surveyed firms have a strategy in place to hire more women and people of color. As demand for clean energy continues to grow, the industry must invest in workforce development strategies that support equitable growth and create new economic pathways for all Americans.” Certainly.
“The Solar Jobs Census found that the percentages of women, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and other diverse groups in the solar industry have improved in recent years. However, there remains much more work to be done. The interviews with industry representatives revealed a number of strategies that companies are successfully utilizing to increase diversity and inclusion in the workforce, such as community partnerships with local high schools and vocational schools.”
Maybe essentially the most uplifting factor from the report, although, is how a lot the labor market is changing into extra ready for work within the photo voltaic business. Whereas 29% of employers responded that it was “very difficult” to search out certified employees, that’s down from 44% in 2022. Workforce coaching is rising and getting extra folks into the sector, however there are nonetheless massive challenges within the business discovering expert laborers, reminiscent of electricians, engineers, and folks with experience in batteries.
Once more, you will discover extra within the report right here.
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