National Solar Jobs Census 2010 A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce Andrea Luecke, The Solar Foundation National Governor’s Association Conference 12/07/2010

Methodology Census is unique because it does not rely on economic impact models Targeted self-identified solar employers (and employers w/ NAICS codes that typically work with solar) via and phone (up to 6 attempts to contact) 2,400 confidential employer responses were drawn from all 50 states across the installation, wholesale trade, manufacturing, utilities, and “other” subsectors Analyzed jobs across solar electric, solar water heating (including pools), space heating & cooling Average response rate was 29%, with all duplicates eliminated States with small sample size or non-distributional sampling were not included Results were compared against secondary industry/state data sources and tested by labor statisticians at Cornell University Results are based on survey responses, but are statistically significant and conservative

93,000 Jobs. 26% growth. In August 2010, solar industry had over 93,000 solar workers By August 2011, 26% job growth is expected Solar Workers/Jobs

By August 2011: Over 55% of firms expect to add employees Only 2.2% expect to cut workers 12-Month Hiring Expectations - All Firms

By Subsector: Largest subsector is installation Manufacturing and wholesale trade are growing the fastest with 36% job growth next year

Definition: “solar worker” spends at least 50% of their time on solar activities Average number of solar workers: – Installation firm employs 8 – Manufacturing firm employs 24 – Utility that generates solar electric power employs 4 – Solar wholesale trade company employs 4 Of the 31 occupations identified, the five fastest growing are: 1.PV Installers (51 – 66% growth) 2.Electricians with specific experience in solar installations (42-55% growth) 3.Sales occupations at wholesale trade firms (40 -49% growth) 4.Sales representatives or estimators at installation firms (39-47% growth) 5.Roofers with specific experience in solar installations (36-49% growth)

Top 10 States for Solar Jobs RankState Est. Solar Firms 2010 Est. Solar Jobs 2010 Est. Solar Jobs 2011 % Change 1California1,07217,35236, Pennsylvania2823,1936, Texas1703,0686, Michigan763,0236, Wisconsin892,8856,0009 6Colorado2542,5285, Georgia622,1574, Arizona2301,8153, New York2251,6543, Indiana251,6283,40013

Key Takeaways: Solar jobs are real and growing Industry is having a positive impact on overall economy Solar jobs are everywhere, not just the sunbelt Not all solar manufacturing is being outsourced. Many jobs (in addition to installation jobs) cannot be outsourced Opportunities for people with diverse skills and education, but many positions require some special training. Best opportunities for electricians, roofers, plumbers and sales reps Future studies will require greater participation from employers so that industry’s value is fully recognized

Questions/Comments Andrea Luecke Executive Director (acting) The Solar Foundation 575 7th Street, NW - Suite 400 Washington, DC For copy of the full-report go to

In 2009, PV Module prices fell 40 percent. Average price per watt in mid-2008 was $ * Average price per watt at the end of 2009 was $ * This is beginning to help bring down the installed cost. * Paula Mints, Navigant Consulting, Inc. ** Capacity-Weighted Average. Data from OpenPV.nrel.gov downloaded 3/30/10. Average Installed Cost of PV

Energy Cost Comparison Solar is increasingly competitive with traditional generation technologies Almost always less expensive than new peaking plants