Solar Jobs Decline In Arizona

By Matt Kling
Published: Monday, February 18, 2019 - 5:05am

Arizona ranks sixth in the United States for jobs in the solar industry. But the sector, both nationally and statewide, had a decline last year.

Solar employment was down 3.2 percent nationwide in 2018, according to the Solar Foundation’s National Solar Census. It’s the second straight year for a decline throughout the United States.

By contrast in Arizona, there was a 10 percent drop in solar jobs, from nearly 8,400 in 2017 to just over 7,500 in 2018. The state was among 21 others to see a decrease last year.

The Solar Foundation says it expects a seven percent increase nationwide in jobs this year, citing a backlog of utility-scale projects and new policy incentives in several states.

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