USA Solar Industry Value Grew 67% In 2010

Good. I don't know a heck of a lot about it, but solar energy seems a great resource. I hope it is / becomes very cost effective.

 

I would still like to see a breakdown of the skill sets that were actually employed and how the money was distributed. Though I am certainly a solar advocate, I don't see the "love" as unconditional. The last time I paid close attention, this was more of a construction industry gem (see low wage labor) than one for educated Americans.

If you don't know what I mean, try securing employment in Solar.

 

Yeah, but where are the JOBS? And guess where a substantial portion of the hardware comes from?

Solar HAS TO mean more than just displacing non-renewables. It also has to translate into sustainable jobs with sufficient incomes....especially if the proverbial "taxpayers" are helping to foot the bill.

 

The jobs would be in the sales, marketing, and installtion... and site design. The mfg is steadily moving to china because of labor costs. If we're smart, we'll try to keep R&D here. Displacing non-renewables is presicely what solar is and will be about. For one, it's a way for many americans to own the electricity they produce and it will eventually save us billions in healthcare costs, not to mention the fact that solar is a hedge against fossil fuel price volatility.

 

Solar Industry Value Grew 67% In 2010 is actually a very great news for all USA people..I am proud to be american.

 

Focusing just on the jobs number is not only short sighted, it is mis guided. For example, off setting coal emissions have benefits that are not always easy to quantify, short or long term. Can you put a price on the lives saved due to lower coal emissions for example? Can y put a price on bending the curve of ever increasing energy prices? Energy I'd fungible, so a reduction of need in one sector does effect all there, net/net.

But looking at the numbers. Yes, you have hardware installers, who are not just low level grunts. To do a simple 5 kw residential installation might look like this. WAG. First you have sales people who have to sell the job, often coupled with skilled site analysis. Followed by engineers drawings, permit plan checking, permiting, from both the utility and the building authority all before someone climbs on the roof, all skilled, trained jobs.

Then you have install people, some laborer grade jobs, but also fairly highly skilled jobs, including electricitians, roofers, fabricators etc. Each of these trades buys hardware for the install, much from local supply houses, racking, wire, wiring boxes and hardware, breakers, roof flashings etc. Each also has to have a supply of tools of their trades.

The PV itself is largely made off shore, but much of the electronics (inverters, combineor boxes, metering etc) is made on shore. Once the install is installed, it needs to be inspected by building authorities as well as the utility. Finally, there are accounting, billing, collection, banking folks all who have a small part.

So a typical 5 kw array might take an obvious few days to install, but that is but the tip of the iceberg.

Once the install is complete and running, it then provides a predictable amount of power over the course of the year(s) at a very predictable price.

Like I say, to focus just on the jobs number today, is short sighted.

Icarus

 

When i was in california for vacation, there are much more visible signs of other resources being used for power.. I do not see that in florida. Seems like there is a huge difference between the two states.. why is that? I can think of a few things, but nothing concrete. I would like to know why..

 

Gee let me take a shot. California is unique in many ways, scientifically speaking. The geography with mountains in the background basically traps smog over the big population centers. Smog is caused by NOx and hydrocarbons. Therefore CA has an urgent and unique need to use the cleanest possible fossil fuel technologies, and if possible shift to anything pollution free, or import power from outside its own borders. Luckily CA is blessed abundant sunshine, geothermal, hydroelectric, wind resources, as well as high tech people-power to address the issues. CA is also blessed with crude oil. I love to visit the La Brea tar pits, smack dab in the middle of Los Angeles, and I always find it a bit comical that God gave California such a heavy tar crude oil.

Hows that for a right coaster?

 

That makes sense. U would think that Florida,"the sunshine state", would have solar power all over the place!!!

 

Well, I would probably not give FL an "A" for green. However, I do not think FL was on the list Top 10 of worst non-green states that was posted here a few weeks ago. In FL I love to visit the Everglades.