If you are interested in finding a solar installer job, there has never been a better time to begin your search. Alongside established national and international goals related to the growing need for sustainable energy, many city officials are declaring regional goals toward greater solar energy capacity in their jurisdictions.
In a recent report by Environment America on installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in major U.S. cities, the numbers indicate that leading cities produce more solar power between them than the entire remainder of the country. For a person scouting around for solar installer jobs, these cities would be the best and first places to look.
This guide will showcase the leading cities in the U.S. for solar installation and cover ways to make the most of the trends in the solar installer job market.
The ever-burgeoning green movement is compelling plenty of businesses and individuals to take a hard look at how they utilize energy. Most new construction in the urban areas of energy-conscious cities now incorporates some form of sustainability installment.
Coupled with this is a similar attitude shift in many types of skilled workers, who have now begun to seek career fulfillment in distinctly non-corporate jobs. As the concept of solar-powered housing and industry continues to gain traction, more and more jobs for solar installation workers will likely emerge.
Solar power is a field expected to enjoy monumental growth in the coming years and Joblist is a handy place to begin your active search for solar installer gigs anywhere in the country.
As with any positive changes in cultural attitudes and norms, there are leaders, and there are followers. If you are looking for a solar installer job, it would be wise to look first in cities that have led the nation in sustainable energy usage for the longest and most successful amounts of time. You can get a sense of global sustainable energy leaders by reviewing tools like the 100% Renewable Energy Atlas, which gives an overview of how and where the most solar energy is being utilized.
The following list details the top five cities leading the nation for solar energy usage:
- Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii takes sustainable energy seriously enough to place renewable energy sector projects in their own featured category on the Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) website. This makes checking possible leads in specific areas of interest quite easy for anyone seeking a solar installer job in Hawaii.
- San Diego, California: As a mandatory step-down clause in California’s solar investment tax credit began at the top of 2020 and continues through 2022, the already lucrative field of solar installation in San Diego will likely see a rise in business. Many residents will want to go solar while they can still get the top percentage incentive on their investment. San Diego has seen a 4.9% leap in job growth in the renewable energy sector since 2010, and that figure will likely continue on an upward trajectory for the duration of the step-down period.
- Las Vegas, Nevada: Technology company Switch has recently created over 1,000 new jobs in Las Vegas with its Gigawatt 1 project, expected to keep Nevada on the cutting edge of renewable energy for the foreseeable future. With four new projects under development in 2020, those seeking solar installer jobs in the area are likely to enjoy easy pickings and wide options.
- Burlington, Vermont: At the beginning of 2015, Burlington became the first city in the United States to become fully powered by renewable energy. With green-minded initiatives dating back to the 1990s and a biomass unit that famously replaced the town coal factory, this is a city that not only runs entirely on sun and wind, but it also farms out the extra energy it produces to neighboring states. Finding a solar installer job is always easier in a place where solar energy is the norm, not the new.
- Phoenix, Arizona: Arizona legislation has recently imposed ambitious increases in the state’s forthcoming requirements for clean energy usage. Arizona has already mandated that electric companies must derive a minimum of 15% of their energy from renewables like sun and wind. A sun-filled state with big goals toward sustainability represents a lot of potential for solar installer job seekers.
Perhaps you are looking for a solar installer job in an area that has not quite met its potential yet but is on the way up. Sometimes, these in-progress places can play host to a wealth of jobs that might not be available in more sustainably advanced cities, based on the number of households that already have solar capacity in those leading cities.
The following five cities have only newly been added to Environment America’s annual report and have all shown immense growth in overall solar usage in recent years:
- Hartford, Connecticut: Having a little bit of a checkered past with regard to solar energy can prove to be a good thing. Connecticut hit some stumbling blocks in its early attempts at the adoption of solar energy that have only served to inform the state’s recent moves toward a large-scale shared solar plan. Job-seeking solar installer professionals will likely find a lively, innovative, and inclusive market in Hartford.
- Austin, Texas: Vinson & Elkins, one of the nation’s leading renewables companies, has just relocated to Austin with aims toward the expansion and exploration of clean energy solutions in the surrounding regions. Situating yourself in a city that houses a large corporate entity fixated on making sustainable inroads is smart if you are looking for a solar installer job.
- Boston, Massachusetts: Long a stronghold of religious influence, Boston churches have begun leading their communities by example into solar energy. The impact of houses of worship installing solar panels on the attitudes of the surrounding areas is expected to lead to greater acceptance of clean energy and a spike in affordable solar energy. Boston is shaping up to be a good place to be if you are currently trying to find a solar installer job and looking for areas of critical need.
- San Francisco, California: With its proximity to yearly wildfire trajectories, San Francisco has nearly been forced into a reckoning with alternative ways to generate and store energy. The blackouts associated with power shut-offs during fire seasons have prompted a surge in energy storage solutions, which are projected to continue, as local electric authorities have offered no clear option against the shut-offs. This energy-evolving region is ripe for further solar installation opportunities.
- Jacksonville, Florida: With a nickname like “The Sunshine State,” Florida may be synonymous with solar but has only recently started to exert national presence in the sustainable energy game. Through renewable energy incentives projected to flow into more statewide options for solar power purchase, Florida represents a kind of solar frontier where much growth is predicted in the coming years.
Starting an online hunt for solar installer jobs can be daunting and confusing if you go in without a game plan. The best cities for solar energy can change rapidly, and it can be tough to stay on top of current trends. Letting Joblist serve as your home base can eliminate hours of aimless searching and whittle your options down to the jobs you have a genuine interest in.
The Joblist database lists solar installer jobs in cities all around the country. We also have helpful resources, such as guides to tweaking your resume and learning how to clean up your social media accounts before submitting job applications. With the capability to set filters for specific cities, type of work (part-time or full-time), and other important factors, Joblist can help you narrow your solar installer job search down to the opportunities that best suit your career goals.
