People love solar and solar jobs. Day 1 of SPI has got me focused on the day job and your write up for the day will be limited. Back for more tomorrow, hopefully.

Have a great day!

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

As the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. economy, the solar industry is hiring people at an ever-increasing rate - and as solar adoption continues to expand, the need for qualified workers will continue to grow, too. But here's the challenge: Even though well-paying jobs in the solar industry exist - today - the industry hasn't yet tackled the challenge of putting the necessary job applicants with the job providers. Until now. At Solar Power International this week, the Solar Training Network announced the launch of AmericanSolarWorkforce.org, a comprehensive online platform to help solar companies recruit qualified workers; allow solar job seekers to find career and training opportunities; and help the entire industry build a strong and diverse solar workforce. AmericanSolarWorkforce.org is managed by the Solar Training Network, a program led by The Solar Foundation and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. “This new online platform helps meet an urgent need for top-quality solar workers across the United States,” said Andrea Luecke, President and Executive Director at The Solar Foundation. “The platform allows solar employers to expand their networks and make valuable connections with job seekers, training providers, and workforce development professionals in their area.” Using this platform, which is free of charge, employers can post opportunities on a solar job board and connect with thousands of workers looking for solar career opportunities. Employers can also create company profiles, review candidate applications and communicate with potential hires. Solar career seekers can create attractive profiles, apply for jobs, identify training providers, and make connections with solar companies. The platform also allows community colleges, workforce boards, and local nonprofits to create directory listings and build relationships with solar employers and candidates. The Solar Training Network developed this platform following a 2017 report, Solar Training Hiring and Insights, which reported that a majority of solar employers found current job board services insufficient or difficult to use. AmericanSolarWorkforce.org builds on the Solar Training Network's research, which found a large majority of solar employers find it difficult to hire qualified candidates. It is a counterpart to a new toolkit, Strategies for Workforce Development, which outlines steps for solar companies to engage with local workforce development resources and build a pipeline of talented employees. To that end, the online platform also includes a clearinghouse for original research and other resources to support solar workforce development. It features a “Solar Panel” with advice from workforce experts, and a shared news and events page for users to post updates.

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

For years, the poll everyone cited had 90% of Americans supporting solar. But that poll is now a few years out of date, and the energy source is is more pervasive than ever. So what if you took a poll now - would those numbers remain so high? Well, now we have the the answer from the most recent The Global Strategy Group poll released today at Solar Power International - and the answer is yes. 91% of Americans prefer solar as a source of electricity, and 76% want their utilities to acquire more solar in their portfolios. Most encouragingly, especially for those who say the industry need to be more politically active, Americans want more action by the government to encourage the use of both large and small-scale solar power, according to fresh polling on people’s attitudes about energy. The Global Strategy Group poll illustrates solar energy’s widespread appeal among voters and national support for pro-solar policies, such as net metering and renewable portfolio standards. “Democrats, Republicans and Independents all said, everything being equal, they would vote against a politician who opposed solar power,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). “Politicians can take this to the bank – Americans will not stand for government or company policies that prevent them from accessing clean, renewable, job-producing, affordable power.” More than 70% of registered voters support both net metering and renewable portfolio standards of at least 50 percent by 2030, and nine out of 10 respondents also said that their power company should not be able to stop them from using solar energy. The polling revealed that the most convincing arguments for going solar are that it emits less pollution leading to lower health risks than other forms of energy, that it creates economic and job growth, and that solar prices are dropping substantially, making it affordable for all Americans. Support for solar was particularly strong with younger voters, men, Hispanics and opinion leaders. The data shows that more education and awareness leads to more favorable opinions about solar across the board, emphasizing the need to increase education about solar energy.

Go Deeper. The permit topic, aka SolarAPP, will be a continuing topic here for a few reasons. First, don’t underestimate how much better we can be doing with quality in solar. Creating a uniform path that expects code compliance will make sure that installers are doing it the right way and you won’t be put into a position bidding against those that cut corners. Second, consumer protection rules will have to be enforced and reviewed by those with knowledge of solar, the overlap of electrical, output, financial and other aspects of solar require industry specific knowledge. This is the early stage in this process and I will keep you updated on the topic.
More Utility In Solar. EDF is entering into another partnership in the C&I space with EnterSolar. It is becoming clear to me that utilities are playing the long game and focusing on the relationship with energy users.
Vogtle Debacle. It seemed like the last nuclear plant under construction almost died yesterday but may see another day. Interestingly, after a letter from DOE saying it would go after the loan guarantee payments if the plant was canceled, the utilities may have had additional motive to not formally cancel the project.
Suck The CO2. What would happen if a technology could ‘suck’ CO2 out of the atmosphere? That would be something really great for the planet but who would pay for it? If nobody is apparent in answering that question, then why would anyone work on this big problem?
Tesla Roof, Less Sketpical. Count me in as less skeptical than I have been in the past. As time passes, I see a market for Tesla roof to make some inroads, not large scale yet but who knows what the future holds.

Have a great day!

News

 

Have a great day!
Yann