California
Jobs

Top Facts and Information on
Renewable Energy In California

California Jobs

Top Facts and Information on
Renewable Energy In California

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Renewable energy will create millions of jobs in the US in the next decade. This can be seen in Visual Capitalist’s infographic below. While wind turbine technicians are estimated to be most in demand, it is likely that many of these jobs will form a transition between offshore oil and gas and that automation via the use of drones and robots will cause a decline in this sector. These are also jobs that are limited to employment by large organizations.

Renewable Energy photovoltaic installers might be coming second in the renewable jobs race, but there are some important points to consider:-

  • The US Department of Labor predicts a 52% growth rate in new jobs for the next decade, or 6,800 new jobs
  • Renewable energy installers are generally small businesses, where installers can either be employed or own their own business
  • A high school diploma and possibly some vocational training is the entry-level requirement

Of course there are many other jobs in the Renewable energy space, from physicists, researchers and engineers improving the efficiency of PV panels, inverters and batteries, to sales consultants and trainers. California is an acknowledged leader in renewable energy, and the future for someone in the Renewable energy industry looks bright.

The solid growth in Renewable energy installations, both residential and commercial has created a vibrant Renewable energy jobs market in California, as well as ancillary jobs, for instance, in the battery storage space. While the global pandemic has resulted in job losses and stagnation in many industries, including Renewable energy, recovery is happening and demand for skills is on the rise again. According to IREC, California had nearly 69,000 jobs as of 2020, and this figure will grow.

The US Department of Labor Statistics has predicted a growth rate in Renewable energy installation jobs of 52% from 2020-2030.

OCCUPATION GROWTH RATE,2020-30 2020 MEDIAN PAY
Motion picture projectionists
70%
$27,490 per year
Wind turbine service technicians
68%
$56,230 per year
Ushers,lobby attendants and ticket takers
62%
$25,110 per year
Nurse practitioners
52%
$111,680 per year
Renewable energy photovoltaic installers
52%
$46,470 per year
Cooks,restaurant
49%
$28,800 per year

While these figures are for the US as a whole, California has the biggest investment in Renewable energy.

The range of jobs available cuts across all levels of skills and educational levels. One can work for major entities in the Renewable energy industry, many of whom have located themselves in California, such as Tesla Energy (formerly Solar City), 8 Minute, or Ivanpah Renewable energy farm.

Job Categories (source - US Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Scientists

There is the potential to have a career in scientific research, improving photovoltaic panel, inverter or battery quality and lifespan, for physicists, materials scientists and chemists. A doctorate is normally the educational requirement

Engineers

Engineering opportunities exist all along the value chain, from design in collaboration with scientists, to plant maintenance. There is a space for all classes of engineers, from chemical and electrical to mechanical.

IT Resources

It goes without saying that IT skills are required, from specialists in IoT (internet of Things) and digital twins, to employees managing administrative software. Artificial Intelligence is essential in the renewables space for weather forecasting , especially for Renewable energy, for balancing the grid and managing energy storage and retrieval. Apps for customer demand management need development and maintenance, and there will be a need for a peer-to-peer platform at some point, if legislation permits, probably based on blockchain.

Manufacturing

Local manufacture of PV panels requires a skilled and diverse workforce, While automation is used where possible, there are job openings for cutters, glaziers and coating specialists, who must also monitor the automated process. Skills for these jobs are usually gained via apprenticeships. There are managerial roles for the production and process involved.

Plant Installation and Maintenance

The actual plant installation requires a variety of engineering skills, from civil engineers, building the road to the plant to electrical and protection engineers who ensure safety. Once the plant is in production, it requires maintenance teams.

PV Installers

This is where most jobs will be generated and opportunities are created for small businesses to start up and grow. Installing a Renewable energy system requires a variety of skills, from the assessor, who has to determine the optimal placing of the panels. Most residential PV uses string inverters, and it is vital that none of the panels receive shade, as the inverter will use the input of the worst-performing panel as the norm for supplying electricity to the household. Once the assessor has determined where the panels should be laid, the installer can start working, in collaboration with a plumber, if a Renewable energy water heater is to be installed and an electrician to complete the wiring. The Renewable energy company can either have plumbers and electricians as permanent employees, or have a partnership with them, depending on the size or model of his business. He will also need sales and fulfilment staff, as well as administrative staff.

While SME Renewable energy businesses will find plenty of work in California, there is the opportunity to offer services in neighbouring states, although their adoption of Renewable energy is not as great as that of California.

California’s forward looking policies on minimizing carbon has had a major positive impact on job creation in general over the years.

REST OF UNITED STATES 6.2% California 7.9%

Job growth:From January 2013 to December 2016, California added 1,334,625 jobs, which represents 7.9% growth, outpacing 6.2% job growth in in the rest of the U.S. in the same period.

TOTAL JOB GROWTH 7.9% ADVANCED ENERGY JOB GROWTH 33.2%

Advanced energy job growth within California:: It is projected that from January 2013 to December 2016, California added 136,664 advanced energy jobs, which represents 33.2% growth, more than quadrupling the state’s total job growth of 7.9% in the same period.

2019 was a boom year for Renewable energy jobs, with California having the lion’s share.

2020 and the effects of the Pandemic

IREC estimated that more than 230,000 Americans worked in Renewable energy at more than 10,000 companies nationally

As with most sectors, the pandemic had a damping effect on the Renewable energy industry. There was a drop of 6.7% nationally to 231,000 jobs, on a par with 2015 figures, down from nearly 250,000 jobs in 2019.

Nearly 30% of these jobs were in California (68,677), even though the state’s Renewable energy job market declined by 7.5% in 2020.

The majority of jobs are held by installers (62,75% or 46 608). Compare this with Florida, the next most active state, which has 9,000 installers

It is predicted that there will be a 7.7% jobs growth rate in 2021, restoring and exceeding 2019’s figures.

While there was a decrease in Renewable energy jobs in California during 2020, because of the pandemic, the sector is recovering. The productivity level has also improved by as much as 32% in certain segments.

The projected number of Renewable energy jobs by 2030 nationally is 400,000. However, this is too low for the new clean electricity target set by President Biden in April 2021. He wants the US to have 100% clean electricity by 2035.

In order to meet the 2035 target, there will need to be at least 900,000 workers in Renewable energy by then, more than 3,8 times the current national workforce of 231,000.

Applying these figures to California, there is a requirement for 267,000 Renewable energy workers by 2035, or an increase of nearly 200,000 jobs.

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