The Sun Is Rising Across America

By path2positive

Now employing more workers than the coal industry, solar represents a growing source of both power and jobs in communities throughout the country. The Solar Foundation, an organization that analyzes the impact and issues surrounding solar generation, just released a report that highlights the 200,000 workers in the solar industry, and the skyrocketing speed by which the industry is growing.

This booming industry is providing state and city officials with the ingredients they need to jumpstart local economies, and to transform where Americans get their energy from. In California, the governor and state leaders mandated that utilities, by 2030, source 50% of their energy from renewables. The result? The state added over 20,000 solar jobs, and has breathed life into the solar industry.

Other states are getting on board, including states in the South, where coal was once king. By pushing residents, utilities, and businesses towards solar, local leaders can obtain real progress in their communities. Jobs, stronger local economies, and lower energy bills are just some of the benefits of going solar.

To find out how to become a climate leader in your community, check out the great resources at Path to Positive Communities!


California And Massachusetts Lead U.S. Solar Boom

By Alejandro Davila Fragoso | Think Progress | February 10, 2016

Solar energy is ballooning across the United States with California and Massachusetts leading the way, according to a Solar Foundation report unveiled Wednesday.

The U.S. solar industry now employs slightly over 200,000 workers, representing a growth of 20 percent since November of 2014. What’s more, last year the industry added workers at a rate nearly 12 times faster than the overall economy.

“We are seeing solar in Arkansas, Virginia, Kentucky, all over the place. Arkansas in fact just broke ground on their first community solar project,” said Andrea Luecke, president and executive director of the Solar Foundation.

The sixth annual report is based on nearly three months of data collection and evaluated figures of 19,000 companies. It’s also more detailed than it has ever been, as it now has solar job data for every state and federal congressional district. “Solar jobs is just a metric, but it’s an important metric. It basically serves as a barometer for understanding whether and where policies are working,” Luecke told ThinkProgress.

Read More

Subscribe

Stay connected and get updates from Path to Positive.

Subscribe

You May Also Like

September 21, 2023

What can you do in your local community to significantly reduce climate warming emissions? Consider composting! Food waste accounts for emissions equivalent to 42 coal...

Read More

September 19, 2023

Most of us feel the responsibility to create a safe and healthy climate for our families and future generations. This includes ensuring a stable climate,...

Read More

July 25, 2023

The summer heat has set in. In fact, it’s been some of the most extreme heat the planet has ever seen. As the temperatures rise,...

Read More
positive-white

 

Path to Positive is a program of ecoAmerica

 

© ecoAmerica 2006 – 2022 The contents of this website may be shared and used under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License.