Solar Industry Reshapes California’s Economic Landscape

From Azusa to Anaheim, Rialto to Riverside, and Garden Grove to Bell Gardens, solar installations are changing more than the landscape.

The industry has reshaped the regional economy, adding thousands of jobs across installation, manufacturing, sales and distribution, and project and development as well as research and design.

Southern California’s booming solar industry employs at least 27,000 full-time workers, and that’s not including the San Diego area.

Four counties - Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino - accounted for 26,886 full-time employees in solar through November 2015. With the federal solar investment tax credit extension, which Congress approved last December, current numbers are likely far higher.

California High in Solar Job Growth and Solar Wages

The Golden State shines in every measure of solar industry growth. The sector, as of November 2015, employed 75,598 solar workers, growth of 38.2 percent over the previous year and the fastest rate of any state. That’s according to the “California Solar Jobs Census 2015,” by The Solar Foundation (available at www.TSFcensus.org and SolarStates.org).

Other highlights from the California Solar Jobs Census:

• With 681 patents, California ranks first in number of solar patents issued from 2010-2015.
• With 2,336, California ranks first in the total number of solar companies.
• Among solar firms, 53 percent said they receive all of their revenue from solar activities - higher than the national average of 48.2 percent.
• The state ranks 5th in solar jobs per capita.

Solar jobs in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties make up more than a third of the state’s total employment in the industry.

Workers Must Spend 50% or More of Time on Solar

The annual report series relies on employer interviews and does not use the “multiplier effect” approach to counting solar jobs and firms. An establishment is counted if it plays only a small role in a solar project, such as providing financing or legal services, or, like SunGreen Systems, is known for solar system design and installation.

The employment qualification is more strictly defined. Only workers who spend at least 50 percent of their time on solar are included in job totals.

Wages in California’s also are higher than the national average, across every part of the solar industry. Solar installers made an average of $22 an hour and are among the highest paid in the U.S. Solar system designers, sales reps and manufacturing workers also earn several dollars an hour above the national average.                                              

“Throughout 2015, California continued to demonstrate national leadership in new solar installed capacity, solar workforce growth, and solar policy,” according to the report’s authors.                        

SunGreen Systems is proud to be a key player in California’s solar industry. We’d be delighted to show you how we do it.      

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