Solar employs more than twice the employees of coal

By: Kevin Dooley

Putting solar panels on rooftops and arrays is a labor-intensive process. You need people to design and manufacture the panels. Then people to market the panels to homes, businesses, and utilities. Then people to come and install them.

It all adds up to a lot of jobs. Even though solar power still provides just a fraction of America’s electricity — about 1.3 percent — the industry now employs more than 260,000 people, according to a new survey from the nonprofit Solar Foundation. And it’s growing fast: Last year, the solar industry accounted for one of every 50 new jobs nationwide.

Source: There are now twice as many solar jobs as coal jobs in the US

Preparing for the future? The jobs of tomorrow may not be what you expect. What blows my mind is that solar now employs more than the natural gas industry.