Information Technology

The Solar Industry May Soon Face a Shortage of Skilled Labor

The growth of the solar industry may soon face the reality of not having enough skilled workers to satisfy demand, suggests a recent report by The Solar Foundation and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). Despite a dragging economy overall, installed solar capacity has increased dramatically in the past few years. In 2011 alone, the cumulative installed solar capacity in the United States nearly doubled from 2,095 MW to 3,950 MW. Should the industry continue along the base-line forecast, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) forecasts that 75% of the U.S. solar market will attain grid-parity by 2015. This could unlock even higher levels of adoption and create a real distance between the demand and supply of solar installation professionals.

The report suggests that this growth has been fueled by more than just government incentives; “evidence shows that a qualified, trained, and certified workforce performs installations that result in fewer problems at the time of inspection and, as such, have a direct impact on lowering costs for project developers, consumers, and inspection authorities.” Furthermore, as the industry matures, labor productivity increases and fewer employees are required per megawatt of equipment production or system installation, lowering the price further.

It is clear that a discussion must be had between the solar industry, the training infrastructure and public agencies on how to avoid a massive gap in the available labor to support rising demand for solar installations. During this Wednesday's #SolarChat, panelists from The Solar Foundation, IREC and CleanEdison will discuss the solar industry job market, what we can expect for the future, and what we should do to make it a success. Register for this week's chat here, and start posting your comments and questions below.

Training is Necessary for Continued Development

If training has a direct influence on the price and continued growth of the industry, how can we make sure there is enough skilled labor to keep pace with rising demand for installations? Furthermore, how can we address the disproportionate levels of entry-level workers and start to supply the market with candidates that have experience, trade or apprentice work, skill-specific solar training, and industry certifications? Who will train all these new workers and where will the money come from?

To date, the U.S. government has been a considerable source of funding for solar workforce training, especially through loans, grants, and contracts made under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). From 2009 to 2012, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Labor (DOL) invested $60 million in workforce development. But these funds are running out, as well as those for state and local Workforce Development Organizations (WDOs) and Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), which have a poor track record of raising the necessary non-public funds to permanently improve internal processes and develop sustainable business models.