Texas Solar Jobs Grew 28% in 2013

Nationwide solar employment growing 10 times faster than the rest of the economy.

Environment Texas

Texas has more than 4,100 people employed manufacturing and installing pollution-free solar energy according to a national Solar Jobs Census released today by the Solar Foundation. According to the analysis, Texas ranks 6th in the nation. 

“The sun is an unlimited energy source that could provide all our energy without the air and water pollution associated with coal, oil and gas” said Rachel Stone, Clean Energy Attorney with Environment Texas. “The solar jobs census shows that the solar industry is putting people to work to meet a growing percentage of our energy needs with a pollution-free energy source that has no fuel costs.”

Solar is on the rise in Texas and across the country. This progress, however, is mostly attributable to the commitments by Austin and San Antonio and their leaders to the development of solar energy, as demonstrated by the report Environment Texas released last year, finding San Antonio and Austin produce 85% of Texas’ solar power.

“This report shows the benefits solar has brought to our community through new jobs and economic development,” said Austin City Council Member Laura Morrison. “As we begin to plan for Austin’s Energy Generation Plan, we must include expanded solar goals to continue to drive our solar economy and create more green jobs for Austin.”

The City of Austin currently has a 200MW solar goal by 2020, but the Local Solar Advisory Committee (LSAC) appointed by City Council in 2012 found that the city could feasibly and affordably raise that goal to 400MW. The LSAC’s report found that doubling the solar goal would result in the creation of over 2,500 jobs, with an average of 420 local direct and induced jobs each year from 2013 to 2020. The City of Austin will have the opportunity to double the solar goal as part of the city’s upcoming energy generation plan.

“The sky’s the limit on solar. But, right now only a small fraction of our energy comes from the sun,” said Stone. “Austin has made great progress, but to take it to the next level, we need to rally around a bigger goal on solar while defending and improving the programs that work today. Austin should double the current solar goal to 400MW and plan future energy generation around a 10% goal of solar by 2024. “