November 24, 2010
The most recent SunRun white paper addresses the impact of residential solar on local communities and industry job growth.
The solar sector as a whole is rapidly expanding; over the past year, the number of people employed by the solar industry doubled from approximately 50,000 in 2009 to 100,000 in 2010. The future looks just as bright, with the number of solar jobs expected to increase by 26% in 2011, which is an unusually high industry growth rate. Specifically, the residential solar market has contributed significantly to overall industry growth, doubling in size in 2009 and helping local communities to remain sustainable.
The white paper discusses the impact that residential solar has on local communities due to two types of the multiplier effect. The first multiplier effect increases the number of solar jobs created and the second influences the number of homeowners that go solar.
SunRun offers a great example of the job multiplier effect at work: SunRun not only directly employs workers, but also partners with 25 installation companies across the country, that in turn employ 3,000 green collar workers. The more homes that install solar, the more installation crews are needed, and the more tools and inventory are required. One local job is created for every six homes that go solar. The impact of residential solar extends from the panel manufacturer to the auto repair shop that services the installation trucks, to the local coffee house that keeps the installers on their toes.
The second type of multiplier effect discussed in the paper involves the influential impact that a community leader can have on their fellow neighbors when it comes to going solar. Because home solar is a relatively new concept, residents tend to trust solar more if one of their neighbors has installed a solar system. The best way to spread solar in communities is if one resident commits and starts the solar trend.
Residential solar is a fast-growing sector and will continue to create valuable green jobs and support local communities. Check out our white paper, Residential Solar Jobs Will Fuel the Future, to learn more!
