This story is continued from Part 1 of “Why Are There So Many Solar Jobs in Florida and the Rest of the Country?”
Reason 3: Solar Energy Is Visible
On a lazy Sunday drive, you might see a wind farm or two. Drive a little further, and you might see an ethanol-processing center on the horizon.
Not so with solar energy.
It’s visible everywhere, and thus, always in the public’s mind. Highway road signs, rooftop systems, government installations, even handheld calculators – each one of these visible symbols creates more buzz about solar energy. They get people excited about the technology, about green policies, about renewable energy jobs, about Mother Earth.
So when homeowners and businesses start reviewing their green options, solar naturally comes out on top…almost like an infectious commercial jingle dancing around in the back of their minds.
Reason 4: Your Government Loves Solar Energy
Solar energy benefits from a range of green incentives that have accumulated over the years, from feed-in tariffs to tax credits to rebates. Even the Recovery Act included some solar love.
Sadly, many of these solar incentives are set to expire. But ultimately, they accomplished exactly what they set out to do – boost renewable energy investment across the country. In fact, we outspent China in green technology last year for the first time in two years. This activity helps to explain why renewable energy jobs – solar especially – are still on the rise in Florida… even during a recession.
A quick note: some people think it’s unfair that solar energy receives so much government support. They point to Solyndra-style failures to support these claims.
To this we offer two rebuttals.
1. The oil and gas industry receives a ton of direct and indirect federal funding, despite having some of the most profitable enterprises in human history. Some of the biggest players don’t even pay taxes, and yet, we still use our tax dollars to prop them up.
2. Solyndra was a failure. No doubt about it. But what about the Exxon Valdez or the BP oil spill? Solyndar imploded and took a lot of our public money along the way. Exxon and BP exploded, not only taking our tax dollars, but also robbing us of entire ecosystems. The only jobs to emerge from these disasters were in environmental clean-up and corporate clean-up (i.e. public relations).
Expect Even More Solar Jobs in the Years to Come
When you factor in all of these reasons, it’s easy to see why solar jobs in Florida are on the rise. In fact, we’re even facing a solar labor gap. That’s right – at a time when so many people are out of work, solar installation firms all over America are constantly searching for qualified professionals to help install the technology.
This means that you don’t even have to live in sunny Florida to benefit from the current boom in solar jobs. After completing your 5-day photovoltaic training at US Solar Institute, you can take your newfound skills back home and begin installing solar panels there.