On the heels of Solar Power International in Los Angeles, The Solar Electric Power Association released of a first-of-a-kind report that shows strong evidence for the potential for job creation by utilities integrating solar power onto their electric grids. The National Solar Jobs Census 2010, conducted by The Solar Foundation and Green LMI with technical guidance from Cornell University, is the first comprehensive study of solar labor market conditions.“With the current economic environment in the U.S. and the need for job creation across the country, now is clearly the time for utilities and solar companies to work together in order to realize the potential employment growth illuminated by this report.”said SEPA President and CEO, Julia Hamm. “Solar power will be critically important to utilities interested in creating jobs and supporting their local economies.”
SEPA Technical Director, Christy Herig. “We’ve known the utility solar market has emerged in the US, but multiplier development requires years of regional and interindustry relationships. An empirical, census measure clearly defines job types, and industry sectors.”Herig noted that the data in the study could help utilities answer difficult questions from state regulators regarding economic development from investments in solar power. “Utilities proposing profitable solar business models to their regulators now have empirical data to justify their economic development claims,” said Herig. “That development is critical to offsetting the initial capital investments that may be higher for solar power than more traditional sources of generation.”That economic development could, in turn, lead to new local industrial capacity and new sources of revenue for utilities that integrate solar power into their grids. The solar jobs census presents a clear picture of the economic growth and job creation that could be spurred by solar power in coming years. The census measured solar labor