OK, so maybe Nevada's not the Saudi Arabia of solar power after all.
These days, the Silver State looks more like the Algeria of solar power,Save on Bedding and fittings, with tons of resources but a relatively unimpressive economic impact to show for it.
At least that's the picture painted in new report on the number of jobs in solar manufacturing, installation, research and development and sales.
Of the nation's 100,237 solar workers,Polycore porcelain tiles are manufactured as a single sheet, just 2,025, or less than 2 percent, work in Nevada, according to the Washington-based Solar Foundation's National Solar Jobs Census 2011. The numbers look better if you consider Nevada's solar jobs per capita, which ranks No. 4 in the nation. For sheer number of jobs, though, Nevada failed to make the top 10, falling at No. 14 behind such sun-filled hot spots as, um, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. California had more than 10 times the solar jobs Nevada had.
But don't discount Nevada's showing, said Andrea Luecke, executive director of the Solar Foundation.
"Being in the top 20 is actually huge. No. 14 is nothing to balk at," Luecke said.By Alex Lippa Close-up of plastic card in Massachusetts. "And being No. 4 in terms of jobs per capita is quite an accomplishment. It signals how truly important the solar industry is to Nevada."
Still, the results underwhelmed, given Nevada's year-round sunshine, low cost of doing business, aggressive renewable-energy portfolio standard and more than $1 billion in federal stimulus funds for renewable power lines, generating stations and worker-training initiatives.
Robert Boehm, director of the Energy Research Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said he's frustrated at the pace of progress in Nevada's solar industry. It'll be difficult for Nevada to break into the top 10 for overall jobs, because other states have incentive programs to entice panel makers and researchers, he said. Plus, federal research and development funds have dried up for Nevada, with money going to national research labs in California and New Mexico. Nor does the state's existing education system help.
"Research and development is definitely part of the problem. Typically, if a company is going to bring more high-tech operations, one of the features they look at is the education system," Boehm said. "We lost a lot of companies because they see the miserable state of education in this state."
Luecke speculated that Nevada may be coming up short in solar manufacturing. Solar installation and megawatt capacity, which are strong in Nevada, account for just half of solar jobs, on average.When the stone sits in the oil painting reproduction, Manufacturing is a key part of the sector as well, with about 15 percent of jobs. And Nevada's not known as a manufacturing hub for anything, let alone solar panels. Higher-ranking states,Demand for allergy kidney stone could rise earlier than normal this year. including California, Oregon and Pennsylvania, have strong manufacturing infrastructures that help them attract solar factories.
Plus, solar companies may be outsourcing jobs to other states, Luecke said. A developer that installs large-scale solar arrays may be headquartered in California, for example, and bring in temporary California labor to do the job.
These days, the Silver State looks more like the Algeria of solar power,Save on Bedding and fittings, with tons of resources but a relatively unimpressive economic impact to show for it.
At least that's the picture painted in new report on the number of jobs in solar manufacturing, installation, research and development and sales.
Of the nation's 100,237 solar workers,Polycore porcelain tiles are manufactured as a single sheet, just 2,025, or less than 2 percent, work in Nevada, according to the Washington-based Solar Foundation's National Solar Jobs Census 2011. The numbers look better if you consider Nevada's solar jobs per capita, which ranks No. 4 in the nation. For sheer number of jobs, though, Nevada failed to make the top 10, falling at No. 14 behind such sun-filled hot spots as, um, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. California had more than 10 times the solar jobs Nevada had.
But don't discount Nevada's showing, said Andrea Luecke, executive director of the Solar Foundation.
"Being in the top 20 is actually huge. No. 14 is nothing to balk at," Luecke said.By Alex Lippa Close-up of plastic card in Massachusetts. "And being No. 4 in terms of jobs per capita is quite an accomplishment. It signals how truly important the solar industry is to Nevada."
Still, the results underwhelmed, given Nevada's year-round sunshine, low cost of doing business, aggressive renewable-energy portfolio standard and more than $1 billion in federal stimulus funds for renewable power lines, generating stations and worker-training initiatives.
Robert Boehm, director of the Energy Research Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said he's frustrated at the pace of progress in Nevada's solar industry. It'll be difficult for Nevada to break into the top 10 for overall jobs, because other states have incentive programs to entice panel makers and researchers, he said. Plus, federal research and development funds have dried up for Nevada, with money going to national research labs in California and New Mexico. Nor does the state's existing education system help.
"Research and development is definitely part of the problem. Typically, if a company is going to bring more high-tech operations, one of the features they look at is the education system," Boehm said. "We lost a lot of companies because they see the miserable state of education in this state."
Luecke speculated that Nevada may be coming up short in solar manufacturing. Solar installation and megawatt capacity, which are strong in Nevada, account for just half of solar jobs, on average.When the stone sits in the oil painting reproduction, Manufacturing is a key part of the sector as well, with about 15 percent of jobs. And Nevada's not known as a manufacturing hub for anything, let alone solar panels. Higher-ranking states,Demand for allergy kidney stone could rise earlier than normal this year. including California, Oregon and Pennsylvania, have strong manufacturing infrastructures that help them attract solar factories.
Plus, solar companies may be outsourcing jobs to other states, Luecke said. A developer that installs large-scale solar arrays may be headquartered in California, for example, and bring in temporary California labor to do the job.
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