2023 was a banner year for solar installation, with 40.3 GW added in new capacity, a 76% increase compared to 2022.2 Solar energy is the nation''s fastest-growing electricity source.3 This expansion in solar projects translated to thousands of new jobs installing the panels, managing projects, working in IT or sales, and performing many other job roles. Solar accounted for 55% of new electricity-generating capacity added in 2023, the highest proportion since data collection started. For comparison, natural gas accounted for 17% of new capacity in the same year.2
In 2023, the utility-scale sector added 1,888 jobs, an increase of 6.8% (see Solar Jobs by Market Segment). Utility-scale installations more than doubled in 2023, leading to increased demand for workers. This is a notable reversal of the trend in 2022, when the utility-scale sector declined by 18%. Many installations were put online last year after facing delays in 2022 when supply chain bottlenecks and trade disputes had made it difficult for firms to purchase modules for their projects.
Residential solar also grew by 5,945 jobs in 2023, marking notable growth but at a slower rate than in 2022. The residential sector set a record for deployment in 2023 but faced headwinds including high interest rates that dampened consumer purchases of solar installations. In California, the nation''s largest residential solar market, a net metering policy change led to a major slowdown beginning in the latter part of 2023.
The latest jobs data show that solar energy is well established as a low-cost, mainstream power source that is usually cheaper to install than fossil fuel alternatives. The growth of solar and other clean technologies is helping reduce energy bills, confront the threat of climate change, and create thousands of high-quality jobs. The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022 is already driving accelerated solar deployment while expanding equitable consumer access to this renewable resource.
These trends form part of a rapid global transition toward solar and other renewable energy resources. Worldwide, global renewable energy capacity increased nearly 50% in 2023 to about 510 GW.4 In the United States, solar energy is expected to continue on a long-term growth trajectory, thanks to favorable economics and powerful long-term incentives in the IRA. Possible limits to growth include interconnection delays as well as the availability of skilled workers to meet the demand for new jobs. (See Future Solar Job Growth).
The Solar Jobs Census breaks down solar jobs by industry sectors, based on a solar company''s primary area of focus.5 Installation and project development firms account for nearly two-thirds of all solar jobs. These are the firms leading the construction and project management of residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar projects. The industry''s high growth rate means that most solar jobs are in the construction stage. This sector gained 7,254 jobs in 2023, or a 4.3% increase, totaling 178,812 jobs.
Operations and Maintenance jobs saw a notable increase of 4,782 jobs, or 28%, compared to 2022, totaling 21,368 jobs. This reflects the need to maintain and repair a growing fleet of solar installations.
Wholesale Trade and Distribution also saw a significant increase in 2023, with an additional 2,687 jobs, representing 8.8% growth and totaling 33,305 jobs. Wholesale trade and distribution jobs include roles such as logistics, warehousing, and related tasks.
Manufacturing jobs were largely flat for those spending the majority of their time on solar, totaling 33,273 jobs. However, jobs increased by 1,107 for those who spent some of their time in other industries. Portions of the solar supply chain are shared with other industries: For example, utility-scale and low-sloped/flat roof mounting systems can share production facilities with other steel products. (For more details, see Clean Energy Manufacturing).
Among the installation and project development firms, the Census breaks down the jobs by market segment—residential, commercial, community solar, and utility-scale.
The utility-scale segment grew by 6.8%, or 1,888 jobs, reaching a total of 29,708 jobs. This is a rebound from the previous Solar Jobs Census, which found a decline of 18% in utility-scale jobs between 2021 and 2022. The increase in utility-scale jobs was the result of a recent surge in installations. The utility-scale segment added 30.2 GW in 2023, for a growth of 114% compared to 2022 and the highest growth ever recorded. From 2018–2023, utility-scale installations have grown 384%.2
Utility-scale solar growth is driven by national and global trends toward the use of renewable energy and favorable policies such as the IRA. In the near term, the solar industry has also moved past supply chain disruptions that had limited deployment in the previous year. The increased availability of low-cost solar modules made it possible to complete more installations in 2023.
Ongoing trade disputes are making an impact on the solar module supply chain. In April 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce initiated an anticircumvention investigation into imports of crystalline silicon solar cells and modules from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, causing an immediate impact to module supply. The Biden administration then placed a two-year moratorium on these tariffs, which went into effect as of June 2024.
The tariff moratorium allowed the industry to procure enough module volume to complete delayed projects, many of which spilled over into 2023, increasing total volume for the year. Domestic solar module manufacturing is also ramping up and nearly doubled in 2023, though domestic capacity was still not enough to meet demand and most solar panels were still purchased from overseas (see Clean Energy Manufacturing).
Also in 2022, hundreds of module shipments were detained pending review of documentation of compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a law to prevent the importation of goods made by forced labor in China''s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Last year, however, many shipments were released from detention after it was determined that they did not contain material from Xinjiang.
The tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act are sending a strong market signal that will encourage a high volume of utility-scale solar installations in the years ahead. While many of the projects that went online in 2023 began before the IRA passed, the passage of the law will encourage steady development in the coming years.
Overall, the largest number of solar jobs are in the residential market, which exceeded 100,000 jobs in 2023. In addition to helping consumers lower electricity bills and enhance community resilience, residential solar is an important source of job growth. Compared to utility-scale solar, residential projects require more workers for installation, sales, and other job tasks for every MW of solar installed.
In 2023, residential solar grew by 5,945 jobs, or 6.3%. While this was solid growth overall, it marked a slowdown from 2022 when the residential workforce grew by 11%. Nationwide, residential solar saw an increase in installations from 6 GW in 2022 to a record 6.9 GW in 2023.2 Installs were highest earlier in the year but dropped 16% in the fourth quarter.2
The residential sector faced the challenge of high interest rates, which made installing panels less attractive for many consumers. Another factor was the residential market in California, the nation''s largest residential solar market. The state''s changes to its net energy metering (NEM) policies drastically reduced the value for consumers to install solar. Installations increased as installers built out projects sold before the NEM policy changes went into effect in April 2023, and then started to fall dramatically as the pipeline of those projects dwindled. (See box on California for more detail.)
Concerns over interest rates were cited often in IREC''s qualitative study, with companies noting that interest rates slowed their growth in 2023. Previously, "it was like an easy sell they just knocked on people''s doors and told them we''ll save you 100 bucks today. And so when interest rates rose, that math didn''t pencil out as well in 2023," said an interview participant from a commercial/industrial firm.
Some residential companies also reported layoffs in 2023.6 In our qualitative study, one participant from a residential/commercial firm cited the downturn in the residential sales market. "That routine, residential work that you could just count on to kind of fill the gaps between larger commercial, really fell off. So we held on as long as we could but really by the end of the year we needed to do a little bit of laying off."
The commercial solar segment experienced a decline of 1,389 jobs, or -4.3%, for a total of 30,696 jobs in 2023. This follows a decline of 2,245 jobs, or 7%, between 2021 and 2022. Commercial solar set a record for annual capacity, installing 1.9 GW in 2023, but the decline in jobs could be due to both an increase in labor productivity and a meaningful increase in average system size. In addition, some projects may have been completed in earlier years but were delayed going online due to interconnection queues.
Community solar jobs were flat in 2023, with an increase of 4.8%, or 809 workers, for a total of 17,594. Community solar also had the slowest growth in installed capacity in 2023 at 10%, with a total of 1.3 GW installed in 2023. Analysts expect the community solar segment to grow by 5% annually on average through 2026. The market could receive a boost from EPA''s Solar for All initiative, which includes $7 billion in grants to states, tribes, and nonprofit entities under the IRA.7
The Solar Jobs Census has tracked employment growth in the solar industry since 2010. Since then, solar energy has transformed from a niche industry into a mainstream power source that is a leading driver of job growth. Solar has more jobs than any clean energy industry other than energy efficiency, and more than twice as many jobs as the coal industry. Solar jobs are available in all 50 states and skilled workers are in high demand. (See Workforce Development.)
Between 2010 and 2016, the industry saw a high annual job growth rate as firms rushed to build new installations. Since then, annual growth has slowed as solar became a mature industry and labor productivity increased. In the five-year period between 2018 and 2023, solar jobs grew by 14% while installed capacity increased 271%.2
An important factor impacting job numbers has been the growing importance of the utility-scale sector. Utility-scale solar accounted for 75% of solar capacity in 2023, while residential solar made up 17%. As we have noted, utility-scale solar is more labor-efficient than residential, requiring fewer workers per MW of solar installed. While increased efficiency may lower the rate of job growth, it is good news for the solar industry and solar consumers, allowing more people to enjoy the benefits of renewable energy at a lower cost.
In our qualitative study, firms described a number of techniques that are used to increase labor productivity. Several firms mentioned the use of a "dropship" model, where supplies are sent to a job site ahead of time to make it easier on crews. This also reduces the chances that a work crew is mobilized only to sit and wait for materials. Some companies employ tracking systems to measure the rate at which labor is completed. Firms can use this data as part of a bonus structure that accounts for speed, quality, and safety of installs.
Domestic solar manufacturing is beginning to take off. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), enacted in 2022, provided unprecedented new incentives for new U.S.-based factories producing solar products, batteries, EVs, and other clean energy technologies. In 2023, several new or expanded facilities started operation. Domestic solar module production capacity nearly doubled from 8.5 GW to 15.5 GW in 2023.2
Many panel manufacturers expanded their U.S.-based facilities in 2023 to take advantage of the IRA incentives. Examples include Qcells, which tripled capacity at its Dalton, Georgia, facility to 5.1 GW.8 Heliene added capacity at a Northern Minnesota plant,9 and First Solar expanded a facility in Lake Township, Ohio.10 Other new facilities have been announced that will come online in the next few years, which could bring the total to 144 GW by 2027 if all these factories are built.2
Solar manufacturing jobs were largely flat in 2023, with a loss of 200 jobs, or -0.6% growth (within the margin of error). However, jobs increased by 1,107 for those who spent a portion of their time in solar manufacturing and a portion of their time in other industries. Solar companies also transferred existing staff to manufacturing roles: 34% of new solar positions in the manufacturing sector were filled by existing employees.
Currently, most U.S. manufacturing firms are not producing panels, but rather other system components such as racking, trackers, and inverters. Many of these firms are growing larger and becoming more labor-efficient, which could account for a leveling off in job growth.11 Leading solar tracking companies are also expanding their domestic manufacturing base. Nextracker has partnered with steel companies to build or expand 20 new facilities since 2021, and Array Technologies recently completed another facility in New Mexico.12
Even as domestic module production is starting to ramp up, most solar panels still come from outside the country. U.S. solar panel imports increased 82% in 2023, reaching 54 GW. The vast majority of these (84%) are from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.13
There was no U.S.-based manufacturing of cells, wafers, and ingots as of 2023, the key components that go into making crystalline silicon solar modules. However, new cell and wafer facilities are expected this year. Qcells is building a factory in Bartow County, Georgia, that will manufacture components across the supply chain, including modules, ingots, wafers, and cells, and should be fully online by the end of 2024.14 The industry is also stepping up domestic production of polysilicon, a raw material used in solar cells, after REC Silicon reopened a facility in Moses Lake, Washington.15
The next few years could see a number of large-scale new production facilities go online. Illuminate USA already opened a new Pataskala, Ohio, facility in February 2024 that is expected to employ 1,000 people.16 Canadian Solar plans to open a 5 GW cell manufacturing plant in Jeffersonville, Indiana, to pair with their 5 GW module manufacturing plant in Texas, creating 1,200 new jobs.17 A First Solar factory in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, is expected to create 700 jobs when completed in 2026.18
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has estimated that with these and other facilities going online, solar manufacturing jobs could reach 115,000 by 2030.2 The incentives in the IRA and the pipeline of announced new factories still hold out the potential for a thriving solar manufacturing industry that reduces supply chain risks, enhances national security, and creates new U.S. jobs.
The Solar Jobs Census also tracks employment by occupational category. While the jobs by sector are classified according to company, occupational categories reflect individual job roles. For example, only 42% of those who work at installation and project development firms directly work in an installation role. Across the industry, 33% of workers are in installation or repair roles, while 20% are in management or professional roles and 19% are in administrative positions. This breakdown doesn''t reflect any significant changes from 2022, indicating that the overall structure of companies remains the same as the industry grows.
The solar industry expects installations to level off in 2024 after the dramatic growth in 2023. Annual installed capacity is expected to remain flat, with a growth rate of -1.5% and 39,679 MW added.2 While this is still high compared to most previous years, it represents at least a temporary slowdown in new capacity. The first quarter of 2024 saw the utility-scale sector''s strongest Q1 on record with 135% growth. However, this was mainly due to a backlog of projects, and utility-scale deployment is expected to be level at the end of 2024.2
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