Solar Industry Could See Big Job Boost in Upcoming Years
According to a recent report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the solar industry could be responsible for 880,000 new jobs in the United States by the end of the decade. The association says the solar energy industry is capable of growing to the point of producing 15 percent of U.S. energy by 2020.But the SEIA says this depends on whether the federal government equals out the amount of subsidies given to conventional- (coal, oil) and solar-energy industries €” either by decreasing the amount of subsidies given to conventional energy or by increasing the amount given to solar energy.
The Environmental Law Institute reports that between 2002 and 2008, the federal government gave fossil-fuel industries $72 billion in subsidies. Over that same time period, renewable-energy industries received $29 billion, about half of which went toward the production of ethanol. More balanced federal subsidies would allow the solar-energy industry to offer more competitive energy prices.
If the solar-energy industry is able to increase its share of the energy market to the predicted 15 percent, the SEIA says it would cut U.S. energy-related emissions by 10 percent.
(By Sean Rosner)