U.S. solar companies could add thousands of jobs next year when many industries remain stagnant, according to a solar jobs census conducted by non-profit research organization the Solar Foundation.
The report, entitled "National Solar Jobs Census 2010: A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce," examined employment along the solar value chain, including installation, wholesale trade, manufacturing, utilities and all other fields and includes growth rates and job numbers for 31 separate occupations. The analysis included data from more than 2,400 solar company survey respondents.
According to the report, more than half the solar industry employers questioned said they plan to increase their workforce by an estimated 26% over the next year, representing nearly 24,000 net new solar jobs by August 2011.
"With the scarcity of fossil fuels continuing to rise, the growth of the solar energy industry is practically inevitable," said GoSolarUSA (PinkSheets: GSLO) President and CEO Tyson Rohde. "Employment numbers are a terrific indicator of our industry’s health, and the Solar Foundation’s report confirms what we already know: Demand for solar technology has not slowed."
According to the Solar Census, there were more than 16,700 solar employment sites and 93,000 solar energy-related jobs in the U.S. as of August. Over the next 12 months, more than 50% of solar companies expect to add jobs, while only 2% expect to cut workers. The anticipated overall 12-month growth rate for the U.S. economy is only about 2% for the same period.
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