utah solar jobs census

2015
UTAH
SOLAR JOBS
CENSUS
ABOUT THE SOLAR FOUNDATION®
The Solar Foundation® (TSF) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization whose mission is to increase understanding of solar energy
through strategic research and education that transforms markets.
TSF is considered the premier research organization on the solar labor
workforce, employer trends, and the economic impacts of solar. It has
provided expert advice to leading organizations such as the National
Academies, the Inter-American Development Bank, the U.S. Department
of Energy, and others during a time of dynamic industry growth and
policy and economic uncertainty.
While TSF recognizes that solar energy is a key part of our energy
future, it is committed to excellence in its aim to help people fairly and
objectively gauge the value and importance of solar technologies.
ABOUT BW RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
BW Research is widely regarded as the national leader in labor market
research for emerging industries and clean energy technologies. In
addition to the Census series, BW Research has conducted rigorous
solar installation and wind industry labor market analysis for the
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, wind energy and energy
retrofit studies for the Natural Resources Defense Council, a series of
comprehensive clean energy workforce studies for the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, Illinois, Vermont, Florida, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and
California, as well as numerous skills and gap analyses for community
colleges, workforce investment boards, state agencies, and nonprofit
organizations.
ABOUT THE UTAH GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
Governor Gary R. Herbert recognizes energy as one of the four
cornerstones of Utah’s strength, along with education, job creation,
and self-determination. In recognition of this priority, the Governor’s
Office of Energy Development (OED) was created in 2011 to advance
Utah’s diverse energy and minerals economy through policy, planning
and direct engagement. Analysis, interpretations, and conclusions
in this report are solely those of The Solar Foundation. They do not
necessarily reflect the opinions of the Utah Governor’s Office of Energy
Development (“OED”), nor does OED positively affirm or endorse the
methodology herein used by The Solar Foundation.
COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Solar Foundation® (TSF) is a national 501(c)
(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to
increase understanding of solar energy through
strategic research and education that transform
markets. In 2010, TSF conducted its first National
Solar Jobs Census report, establishing the first
credible solar jobs baseline and verifying that
the solar industry is having a positive impact
on the U.S. economy. Using the same rigorous,
peer-reviewed methodology, TSF has conducted
an annual Census in each of the last six years to
track changes and analyze trends.
This Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015 report is an
offshoot of TSF’s National Solar Jobs Census
2015 effort. Research partners for the Census
2015 effort include the Utah Governor’s
Office of Energy Development for providing
editorial guidance and peer review, the George
Washington University Solar Institute for
providing assistance and support in reviewing
and validating report results and analysis; the
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) for
use of its National Solar Database and peer
review; and GTM Research/SEIA for providing
survey respondents with the U.S. Solar Market
Insight: 2014 YIR report.
Sponsors of this year’s Census effort include:
Energy Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett
Foundation, Tilia Fund, George Washington
University Solar Institute, SEIA, Recurrent,
SolarCity, First Solar, Sol Systems, E.ON,
Trina Solar, State of Minnesota Department
of Commerce, State of New Mexico Energy
Minerals and Natural Resources Department,
Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development,
sPower, Standard Solar, CALSEIA, All Earth
Renewables, and groSolar.
Finally, we want to thank all the Utah employers
that participated in the survey. Your responses
were critical in providing us with accurate and
timely data.
For questions or comments about this report, please contact either:
Andrea Luecke
President and Executive Director
The Solar Foundation®
202-469-3750; [email protected]
www.TheSolarFoundation.org
Philip Jordan
Principal and Vice President
BW Research Partnership
508-384-2471; [email protected]
www.bwresearch.com
Please cite this publication when referencing this material as “Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015,
The Solar Foundation, available at: www.TSFcensus.org and SolarStates.org”
INTRODUCTION
The U.S. solar industry experienced
yet another record-breaking year
in 2015, with more than 7,400
megawatts (MW) of domestic
photovoltaic (PV) capacity expected
to have been installed – an 18.5%
increase over the amount installed
in 2014 – bringing total U.S. solar
capacity to nearly 27.5 gigawatts
(GW).1
As the rate of capacity installation has
accelerated, employment across the country
in this sector has also expanded considerably.
This year’s sixth annual National Solar Jobs
Census found that the U.S. solar industry
employed 208,859 workers as of November
2015, an addition of 35,052 jobs, and a 20.2%
increase in employment over November
2014. Since The Solar Foundation began
tracking these numbers in 2010, employment in
the industry has more than doubled, growing by
123% and adding over 115,000 jobs. Employers
nationwide expect this growth trend to continue
through 2016, projecting to add nearly 31,000
jobs to the solar workforce over the course of
the year.
U.S. PV Capacity Additions & Solar Jobs, 2010 - 2015E
8,000
208,859
Solar Jobs
200,000
173,807
100,000
6,000
142,698
150,000
93,502
105,145
7,000
5,000
119,016
4,000
3,000
2,000
50,000
Added Capacity (MW)
250,000
1,000
0
0
2010
2011
2012
PV Capacity Additions
2013
2014
2015E
Solar Jobs
Capacity Data Source: SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
1
Utah ranks 19th nationally for overall solar
workers, and 10th for solar workers per capita
as of Q3 2015. As of November 2015, there
were approximately 930 establishments
throughout the solar value chain employing
2,679 solar workers in the state of Utah.2
Similar to national trends, Utah is now
experiencing robust development of its
immense solar resource,3 realizing growth
that had not occurred in the years leading up
to 2014.4 Looking at Utah’s installed capacity,
solar deployment has grown exponentially over
recent quarters. Verified data for solar capacity
additions in Q3 2015 alone stand at 41.6 MW,
which was more than cumulative capacity figures
in 24 states.5 PacifiCorp, parent company to the
state’s largest investor-owned utility, Rocky
Mountain Power, lists 200.6 MW of utility-scale
facilities in the state with commercial operation
dates in 2015, and many times that amount
scheduled for commercial operation in 2016.6
Breaking down capacity by sector,7 at the
close of the third quarter of 2015, cumulative
residential capacity narrowly outstripped nonresidential, and utility-scale sectors.8 By the end
of 2015, however, the commissioning of utilityscale facilities provided a lion’s share of the new
and cumulative capacity in 2015,9 including, for
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
Photo courtesy of Applied Power, UT
example, the 96.0 MW Utah Red Hills Renewable
Park.10 Pending data validation for new solar
projects, Utah’s cumulative installed capacity
through 2015 will have exceeded 235.6 MW.
There are a number of policies that contribute to
solar deployment in Utah. Utah has net metering
and grid interconnection rules for solar.11 It
is expected that net metering will continue
in Utah, but rates may be adjusted at some
future date. Presently, Utah’s Public Service
Commission has ordered studies to examine the
costs and benefits of net metering for PacifiCorp
customers.12 Although Utah state law does not set
mandatory requirements for utilities to source a
percentage of their electricity generation from
renewable energy sources through a renewable
portfolio standard (RPS), the state does have a
voluntary renewable portfolio goal to integrate
cost–effective renewable sources equivalent to
20% of adjusted retail electric sales by 2025.13
Utilities adjust their goals by accounting for
alternative sources such as nuclear power,
energy efficiency measures, and carbon
sequestration.14 Utah’s REC system reflects the
voluntary nature of the state’s RPS, but the state
does offer a multiplier for solar or distributed
generation.15 In addition to RECs and net
metering compensation, Utah offers a suite of
tax credits supporting solar development. Utah
2
provides solar developers with a variety of
incentives that include investment tax credits
for residential and commercial installations,
and production tax credits for utility scale
installations. It also provides developers of
utility scale installations with a nonrefundable
credit valued at 75% of new state tax revenue
generated by the project for each of its first
twenty years.
These incentives augment the effect of the state’s
implementation of the federal Public Utility
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), which
plays a significant role in utility-scale solar
development in Utah. PURPA requires states to
institute their own practices for overseeing the
development of qualifying facilities (QFs), which
cannot exceed a utility’s avoided cost, or the
cost the utility would have otherwise incurred
to produce that additional power. With an eye
toward assuring system balance as PacifiCorp
brings on more utility-scale solar in Utah, the
Public Service Commission of Utah reduced
future QF contract length from 20 years to a
maximum of 15 years. The goal is to address
concerns over “resource sufficiency,” retail
electricity price exposure, and the economic
viability of PURPA-related qualified facilities
while still maintaining contract terms consistent
with attracting investment.16 According to the
Order, applications under Rocky Mountain
Power’s Utah PURPA program total nearly 3.3
GW and “If all of the proposed QF contracts
came to fruition, the nameplate megawatts
of the QF power would alone surpass, by a
considerable margin, Utah’s average retail load
requirements.”17
Turning to Utah’s rooftop solar, while Utah has
among the lowest retail electricity prices in
the country,18 homeowners installed eighteen
times more solar capacity in 2015 than in 2013,
bringing cumulative capacity in that sector alone
to more than 25 MW.19 The implementation of
PPAs for public and non-profit organizations has
been identified as a tool for these institutions
to manage their energy costs. Additionally,
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
leasing has long been allowed in the state,
providing a similar function to PPAs across
customer classes. Leasing is likely to continue
to contribute to future residential solar capacity
additions. Vivint Solar recently announced that
it will market a lease option starting in 2015.20
PPAs and leases are mechanisms that allow a
As of November 2015, there
were approximately 930
establishments throughout
the solar value chain
employing 2,679 solar
workers in the state of Utah.
solar company to install a system, usually a PV
array, on a customer’s property at little or no
cost to the customer. The customer then buys
all or a portion of the electricity generated by
the system from the solar company, rather than
from their traditional electric utility, or leases
the equipment for a monthly fee. These financing
models have spurred market development for
small-scale systems in other states across the
country because it does away with the otherwise
significant initial investment required to own a
system outright.
Groundbreakings and construction for nonresidential and utility-scale solar facilities
are slated to multiply Utah’s cumulative
installed solar capacity again in 2016.21 In
total, PacifiCorp’s interconnection queue
includes applications for a massive 803.3 MW
in additional solar capacity with commercial
operation dates proposed in 2016.22 Major
project developers include SunEdison, Juwi
Solar, and Scatec Solar.23 Analysts forecast
that annual capacity figures are slated to
multiply again in 2016 before softening in
2017.24 Establishments along the value chain
are projected to add approximately 664 solar
workers in 2016, representing 24.8% growth.
3
ABOUT THE UTAH SOLAR JOBS CENSUS 2015
This report includes information about all types
of Utah companies engaged in the analysis,
research and development, production, sales,
installation, and use of all solar technologies
– ranging from solar photovoltaics (PV), to
concentrating solar power (CSP), to solar water
heating systems for the residential, commercial,
industrial, and utility market segments.
The findings presented herein are based on
rigorous survey efforts throughout the months
of September, October, and November 2015 that
include telephone calls and emails to known
and potential solar establishments across Utah.
Unlike economic impact models that generate
employment estimates based on economic
data or jobs-per-megawatt (or jobs-per-dollar)
assumptions, The Solar Foundation’s Solar Jobs
Census series provides statistically valid and
current data gathered from actual employers.
This analysis also purposefully avoids artificially
inflating its results with questionable multiplier
effects often found in analyses of other
industries.
The number of establishments included in this
report include all businesses that conduct any
solar activity. This includes many businesses
that play a very small part in a solar project,
or provide financing, legal services, or other
support services to solar firms. Employment,
however, is only counted for workers that spend
at least 50% of their time on solar.
A full explanation of this methodology can be
found on page 11 of this report.
Photo courtesy of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
4
UTAH
SOLAR JOBS
Key Data Points
Total Solar Jobs, 2015
2,679
Cumulative Installed
Capacity - 2015 (Estimated MW)25
236.2
Projected Solar
Jobs Growth, 2016
665
(24.8%)
Capacity Installed in
2015 (Estimated MW)26
218.6
Detailed employment and demographic data for Utah’s legislative districts, counties, and metropolitan statistical areas can
be found in the appendix of this report and on The Solar Foundation’s interactive jobs map at SolarStates.org.
Installation Jobs
2,013
Manufacturing Jobs
96
Sales & Distribution Jobs
422
WORKFORCE
OVERVIEW
The Utah solar industry employs 2,679 workers
at 930 establishments throughout the state,
is ranked #19 nationally in solar jobs, and
#10 in solar jobs as a share of the state’s total
employment. Employers expect to add around
664 new solar workers over the course of
2016 – a growth rate of 24.8% – while the
state’s workforce as a whole is projected to
grow at 1.9% during the same period.27
Installation firms employ the largest portion
– more than 75% – of Utah’s solar workforce,
followed by sales and distribution firms, at
just under 16%. This contrasts with the solar
industry nationally, in which 57.4% of the
workforce is employed by installation firms, and
only 11.7% of workers are employed by sales &
distribution firms.
Project Development Jobs
84
Other Jobs
63
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
Solar Jobs Census 2015
Sector
Installation
Manufacturing
Sales &
Distribution
Project
Development
Other
UT Solar
U.S. Solar
Workforce Workforce
75.1%
57.4%
15.8%
11.7%
3.6%
3.1%
2.4%
14.5%
10.8%
5.7%
6
Difficulty Hiring in Utah
Utah
27.3%
Mountain
28.0%
National
51.8%
24.2%
0%
28.0%
51.7%
20%
Not Difficult
40%
Position
Solar Installer
Solar Sales Representative
Solar System Designer
Solar Assembly Worker
24.2%
60%
Somewhat Difficult
Solar employers in Utah, and the other states
comprising the U.S. Census Bureau’s Mountain
Division generally,28 experience roughly the
same level of difficulty on average finding
qualified candidates to fill openings on their
payrolls as other solar firms across the country.
Over 72% of Utah solar firms reported some
level of difficulty in hiring. This is notable,
given that a smaller portion of the Mountain
solar positions hired for require higher
education of some sort (15.9%) than solar
positions hired for across the country in 2015
(24.8%). This further reinforces the premise
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
22.7%
50.0%
80%
100%
Very Difficult
that a relative dearth of trained and experienced
talent is a problem faced by the solar industry
nationwide.
Wages paid by firms in the Utah solar industry
do not differ in a significant way from those
paid by solar employers across the Mountain
Division. Solar installers and system designers
are generally paid slightly below the median
wages for their counterparts in the solar industry
nationwide, while solar sales representatives
are paid slightly better.
Mountain Division
Median Wage
U.S. Median Wage
$20.00
$21.00
$25.50
$26.92
$33.65
-
$28.85
$18.00
7
Utah Solar
Workforce
Utah Overall
Employment29
U.S. Solar
Workforce
Women
18.2%
42.3%
23.8%
African-American
0.0%
0.0%
5.1%
Asian or Pacific Islander
3.2%
0.0%
8.6%
Latino or Hispanic
1.1%
12.9%
11.3%
Older Workers (55+)
23.5%
17.2%
18.6%
Union Members
0.0%
-
5.5%
3.6%
5.3%
8.1%
Veterans of the U.S. Armed
Forces
The Utah solar workforce is generally less diverse than the state’s workforce as a whole,
with women (18.2%) and Latino or Hispanic
workers (1.1%) relatively underrepresented.
However, Asian and Pacific Islander workers
are represented at higher rates than in Utah’s
overall workforce, and older workers are represented in the state solar workforce at higher
rates than their counterparts in the solar industry nationwide.
Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces represent a
uniquely valuable source of human capital for
solar employers. With a proven work ethic and
practiced discipline, veterans bring a wealth
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
of readily transferable skills and leadership
acumen to the industry. Through the Solar Ready
Vets program, the U.S. Department of Energy is
helping the industry capitalize on this resource
by facilitating the transition from military service
to employment in the civilian solar workforce.30
Utah solar firms have yet to take advantage of
this value proposition to the same extent as
their counterparts across the country, with
veterans comprising only 3.6% of the state’s
solar workforce, compared to 5.3% of the
state’s workforce as a whole and 8.1% of the
solar workforce nationally.
8
Approximately 50% of Utah solar firms reported
that they receive all of their revenues from solar
activities, which is slightly higher than the national average of 48.2%, while just over 28.5%
reported that they receive less than half of their
revenues from solar activities, which is the same
percentage of firms nationally. A significantly
larger portion of the state’s solar firms (86.2%)
work primarily with in-state customers than is
reported by solar firms nationally (65.6%). The
largest percentage of Utah’s solar firms (42.9%)
have primarily out-of-state U.S. vendors and
suppliers, while 39.3% primarily have vendors
from within Utah, and only 3.6% of Utah solar
firms primarily have vendors or suppliers outside of the United States.
As part of the 2015 Census effort, employers
were asked about the impacts of specific existing, pending, and proposed policies on their
business prospects. Utah employers overwhelmingly cite the federal investment tax credit (ITC)
as substantially contributing to their firms’ success, with 55.2% of respondents referring to it
directly, tripling the next two most commonly
cited policies, Utah’s renewable portfolio goal,
as well as utility rebates, which tied at 18.3%.
Business Citing Policies Contributing to Success
Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
Other Tax Exemptions, Credits, & Rebates
State Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)
Utility rebates
EPA Clean Power Plan
PTC & Other Production Incentives
0%
Utah
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
National
9
CONCLUSION
In 2015, Utah likely witnessed the installation
of more than nine times the cumulative solar
capacity installed through 2014, led by utilityscale solar growth.31 Federal and state solar
incentives, as well as efficiencies continue to
make solar PV more cost-competitive relative
to traditional generation technologies. This,
coupled with PURPA, is driving rapid solar
deployment across utility scale projects.
Rooftop residential projects are also expanding,
with Utah’s homeowners likely to have more
than doubled the state’s residential solar
market in 2015.32 Net metering is expected to
continue to play a role in new rooftop solar,
although rate adjustments could occur in the
future. Additionally, the sector may be poised to
sustain growth resulting from the expansion of
solar leasing and residential third-party power
purchase agreements.
Utility-scale development will likely continue
to drive the state’s solar market in 2016. While
large-scale projects often present a more rapid
means of deploying solar, they can have a
muted effect of local solar jobs growth relative
to small-scale distributed generation due to
nature of large-scale solar project development,
which often involves competitive bidding
processes and out-of-state and international
solar companies. Nevertheless, the scale of
Utah’s capacity additions is likely to contribute
to solar jobs creation in absolute terms, as
establishments seek to capture the efficiencies
of siting solar value-chain elements in-state.
Utah’s solar workforce is poised to begin to
rival that of other historically successful solar
states of similar size. At 2,679 solar workers,
Utah’s solar workforce is the 19th largest in
the country, just ahead of Pennsylvania (2,498)
and slightly behind Michigan (2,779), both
historical centers of industrial development in
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
the U.S., home to much larger populations, and
comparatively weaker solar resources. Utah
solar employers are expecting to expand their
payrolls in 2016, adding roughly 664 positions,
representing 24.8% growth in solar workers –
more than thirteen times the growth expected
for the state’s workforce economy-wide and
significantly more than the growth expected for
the U.S. solar industry at large (14.7%).
The geographic realities of the Beehive State,
and the ever-decreasing costs associated
with solar suggest continued viability of the
Utah solar industry in the long-term. In order
to achieve and sustain this future growth, it
is essential that Utah employers have ready
access to quality talent and skilled labor
or enhance their on-the-job offerings. As
previously reported, the significant difficulties
they currently experience in finding qualified
candidates to fill open positions underscores
the need for more focused and comprehensive
solar training efforts, in-house, in-state, and
across the country. If sufficiently emphasized,
these efforts would reduce the company’s
talent acquisition, training, and retention costs,
increasing efficiency across the solar value
chain, and ultimately reduce costs for Utah solar
customers.
This research shows that, despite some
uncertainties, the Utah solar industry is a source
of economic opportunity, with the potential
to create jobs that pay living wages and are
largely available to individuals of diverse
backgrounds from across the state. Only regular
reexaminations of the state’s solar industry, its
workforce, and the employment opportunities
presented herein will confirm this potential is
realized in years to come.
10
APPENDIX
STATE CENSUS METHODOLOGY AND DATA SOURCES
The Solar Jobs Census methodology is the most
closely aligned with the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) methodology for its Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) and
Current Employment Statistics (CES). Like BLS,
this study uses survey questionnaires and employer-reported data, though ours are administered by phone and web, as opposed to mail.
Also like BLS, we develop a hierarchy of various categories that represent solar value chain
activities (within their broader NAICS framework), develop representative sample frames,
and use statistical analysis and extrapolation in
a very similar manner to BLS. We also constrain
our universe of establishments by relying on
the most recent data from the BLS or the state
departments of labor, depending on which is
collected most recently. We believe that the categories that we have developed could be readily adopted by BLS should it choose to begin to
quantify solar employment in its QCEW and CES
series.
The results from the overall 2015 Census effort
are based on rigorous survey efforts that include
287,962 telephone calls and over 44,220 emails
to known and potential energy establishments
across the United States, resulting in a total of
2,350 full completions for solar establishments
in the U.S. Unlike economic impact models that
generate employment estimates based on economic data or jobs-per-megawatt (or jobs-perdollar) assumptions, the Solar Jobs Census series provides statistically valid and current data
gathered from actual employers.
The survey was administered to a known universe of energy employers that includes 68,494
establishments and is derived from the Solar
Energy Industry Association’s National Solar
Database, as well as other public and private
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
sources. Of these establishments, 2,118 identified as solar and completed full or substantially
completed surveys.
The survey was also administered to a stratified, clustered, random sampling from various
industries that are potentially energy-related
(unknown universe) that include a total of approximately 314,000 establishments nationwide. After an extensive cleaning and de-duplication process, a sampling plan was developed
that gathered information on the level of solar
activity (including none) from 12,765 establishments. Of these, 327 establishments qualified
as solar establishments and completed full surveys. The sampling rigor in the known and unknown universes provides a margin of error for
establishment counts at +/-0.85% and employment at +/-1.99% at a 95% confidence interval.
This level of national sampling rigor is mirrored at the state level. In addition to the known
Census, the clustered sampling in the unknown
universe is representative relative to establishment totals by size in each of the 50 states and
the District of Columbia. This ensures that each
state’s employment estimates are accurate with
a maximum margin of error under +/-5% at a
95% confidence interval.
Due to the number of qualifying responses,
some smaller states have higher margins of error for non-employment related questions, such
as workforce and policy related questions, due
to the small universe of solar establishments in
each state. As a result, some state-level, non-employment data is reported using regional averages or have footnotes denoting small response
sizes.
11
GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF DATA
In addition to the statewide results detailed
herein, the Solar Jobs Census 2015 effort
compiled comprehensive information about the
distribution of solar workers across each state.
The Solar Jobs Census 2015 companion website,
SolarStates.org, houses solar jobs data for each
state and the District of Columbia. Here, the
employment data have been broken out and
represented in map form at the state, federal
congressional district, state legislative district,
metropolitan statistical area, and county
levels. What follows are tables presenting
the employment counts and demographic
breakdowns of the workforce at each specified
level of granularity previously mentioned.
UTAH FEDERAL CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
District
1
2
3
4
District
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
168
823
334
1,354
31
-
247
-
150
61
-
94
17
-
25
5
-
134
5
87
24
1
87
16
16
3
34
66
22
69
7
6
12
4
13
1
1,202
219
2
0
83
0
33
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
15
0
6
Older
Veterans of
Latino or
Union
Workers
the US Armed
Hispanic
Members
(55+)
Forces
5
2
43
14
26
11
9
4
UTAH STATE SENATE
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
475
Asian or
Pacific
Islanders
3
1
1
0
15
-
0
-
-
319
-
194
4
29
Union
Members
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
22
-
3
6
-
79
3
1
2
1
1
2
0
5
112
0
1
1
31
1
21
0
4
0
1
0
1
0
8
15
5
16
2
-
38
13
283
-
0
0
0
-
3
0
1
1
0
0
6
-
Asian or
Older
Latino or
Pacific
Workers
Hispanic
Islanders
(55+)
-
40
20
0
8
-
12
48
-
17
-
0
-
5
1
3
1
2
1
1
2
0
-
43
-
0
-
3
0
1
12
District
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
29
District
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
Asian or
Older
Latino or
Pacific
Workers
Hispanic
Islanders
(55+)
Union
Members
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
45
8
-
1
0
11
-
2
15
3
-
0
0
3
-
1
27
5
1
0
32
6
23
4
34
6
11
2
48
9
25
5
62
11
2
21
0
3
-
1
1
0
1
1
1
0
2
1
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
8
5
8
3
1
11
0
0
0
1
6
6
15
5
-
5
UTAH STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
Asian or
Older
Latino or
Pacific
Workers
Hispanic
Islanders
(55+)
1
0
1
1
1
0
2
1
2
0
2
Union
Members
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
16
3
-
1
0
4
-
1
0
0
-
0
0
0
-
0
25
19
3
5
3
1
1257
229
8
1
14
24
0
18
4
0
0
6
0
2
43
0
10
7
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
3
4
0
3
1
0
0
1
0
0
8
0
2
1
-
1
1
0
0
0
0
6
4
1
-
40
13
296
-
0
0
2
-
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
6
0
4
1
0
0
1
0
1
0
10
0
2
0
0
0
2
-
1
1
0
-
45
-
0
-
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
13
District
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
38
34
7
-
19
-
6
374
68
24
4
105
31
24
1
0
0
84
20
70
52
0
0
0
0
16
14
0
6
4
0
0
0
15
4
13
9
0
0
0
0
3
3
0
57
10
0
0
8
0
30
0
0
0
0
37
15
2
0
0
9
39
0
13
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
1
0
5
0
0
0
0
7
3
0
0
0
2
7
0
2
-
Asian or
Older
Latino or
Pacific
Workers
Hispanic
Islanders
(55+)
1
0
3
1
1
-
12
-
1
-
1
1
0
0
0
3
1
2
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
Union
Members
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
9
-
1
25
-
8
4
88
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
6
0
0
0
20
5
17
12
0
0
0
0
4
3
0
1
13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
7
0
0
0
0
9
3
0
0
0
2
9
0
3
-
1
-
13
-
1
-
4
1
1
0
0
0
3
1
2
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
14
District
62
63
66
-
1
0
10
-
1
6
1
-
0
0
1
-
0
2
69
14
70
3
11
71
2
19
72
74
75
1
Metropolitan
Statistical Area
23
Emery
Garfield
0
0
0
-
0
0
-
0
0
-
0
Asian or
Latino
Older
Veterans of
Union
Pacific
or
Workers
the US Armed
Members
Islanders Hispanic
(55+)
Forces
-
1
0
1,373
250
-
44
124
23
-
4
23
985
-
180
46
UT NONMETROPOLITAN AREA
Duchesne
0
1
-
3
4
128
St. George, UT
Davis
-
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
Salt Lake City, UT
Carbon
0
-
0
0
0
UTAH METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS
Provo-Orem, UT
Cache
-
0
Ogden-Clearfield,
UT
Box Elder
0
1
-
4
0
0
-
3
0
0
-
0
Logan, UT-ID
Beaver
-
2
1
1
0
-
3
0
0
-
3
0
0
-
0
11
0
-
3
0
73
-
0
-
1
0
0
-
0
0
0
-
0
0
0
-
2
0
0
-
2
0
0
-
0
12
0
-
0
2
68
-
0
0
67
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
8
0
65
Union
Members
42
8
64
County
Asian or
Older
Latino or
Pacific
Workers
Hispanic
Islanders
(55+)
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
-
8
14
23
8
0
1
-
0
0
15
2
0
3
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
2
1
-
323
-
49
1
29
-
4
-
232
0
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
11
-
2
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
-
0
2
-
0
3
5
19
0
1
0
35
0
1
0
5
-
Asian or
Older
Latino or
Union
Pacific
Workers
Hispanic
Members
Islanders
(55+)
0
4
15
30
0
-
82
12
1
UTAH COUNTIES
-
1
10
0
3
-
1
31
-
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
1
4
5
3
1
-
1
1
3
0
0
0
15
County
Grand
Iron
Juab
Kane
Millard
Morgan
Piute
Rich
Salt Lake
San Juan
Sanpete
Sevier
Summit
Tooele
Uintah
Utah
Wasatch
Washington
Wayne
Weber
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
Asian or
Older
Latino or
Union
Pacific
Workers
Hispanic
Members
Islanders
(55+)
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
7
1
-
0
0
2
-
0
3
0
-
0
0
1
-
0
16
1
8
1
0
1
3
0
1
0
0
0
938
171
8
1
5
8
31
13
19
1
1
6
2
3
1,372
250
1
0
8
47
46
Utah Solar Jobs Census 2015
1
9
8
-
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
2
0
0
0
-
30
10
221
-
0
0
2
-
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
7
3
4
-
44
15
323
-
0
0
0
-
0
1
1
0
0
0
2
11
11
-
1
0
0
0
0
0
-
33
-
0
-
0
0
1
0
1
-
49
-
0
-
0
2
2
Photo courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons
16
ENDNOTES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015
The 2014 estimate of solar employment in Utah was produced using a carefully developed dual methodology
– one for installation and construction jobs and another for non-installation jobs (covering industry sectors
such as manufacturing, sales & distribution, project development, and “other” occupations that support the
solar industry). Method one used labor intensity multipliers developed internally and cross-checked with
leading studies on the subject, while method two was based not only on a direct count of solar workers, but
also the average number of jobs per solar establishment and total number of establishments in the state. It is
also important to note that while the 2014 and 2015 methodologies differ, the results derived from the Census
approach are statistically significant and, therefore, more credible. Details on the methodology can be found on
page 11.
NREL. (2012). Solar Prospector. Retrieved 1/27/2015, from http://maps.nrel.gov/prospector
SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015
Id.
PacifiCorp. (2016, January). PacifiCorp Generation Interconnection Queue. Capacity values converted from
AC to DC using rough, standard conversion MW(DC)=MW(AC)*1.2 based on SEIA’s data treatment guidance.
Other capacity data outlets and project developers sometimes use a conversion factor of 1.3, which may reflect
conversions based on actual hardware.
The residential, non-residential, and utility-scale market segments are defined by SEIA based on the offtaker of
the electricity their systems generate, though they can generally be used interchangeably with small-scale (i.e.
single-family household rooftop systems, no more than a handful of kilowatts), medium-scale (i.e. multi-unit,
commercial, or government rooftop system), and large-scale (i.e. ground-mounted or very large rooftop systems
ranging from several hundred kilowatts to several hundred megawatts in capacity).
SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015
Id.
Scatec Solar. (2016). Red Hills, Utah, 104 MW. Retrieved January 27, 2015, from http://www.scatecsolar.com/
Portfolio/USA/Red-Hills-Utah-104-MW
IREC. (2015). Freeing the Grid 2015: Best Practices in State Net Metering Policies and Interconnection
Procedures. Retrieved 1/26/2015, from http://freeingthegrid.org/#about/introduction/
Utah Public Service Commission. DOCKET NO. 14-035-114: In the Matter of the Investigation of the Costs and
Benefits of PacifiCorp’s Net Metering Program. Retrieved January 28, 2016, from http://www.psc.utah.gov/
utilities/electric/elecindx/2014/14035114indx.html
DSIRE, NC Clean Energy Technology Center. (2014, September 9). Program Overview: Renewables Portfolio Goal.
Retrieved January 28, 2016, from http://programs.dsireusa.org/system/program/detail/2901
Id.
Id.
Public Service Commission of Utah. (2016, January 7). DOCKET NO. 15-035-53. Retrieved February 5, 2016, from
http://psc.utah.gov/utilities/electric/ordersindx/documents/2712701503553o.pdf
Id.
U.S. EIA. (2015, October). Rankings: Average Retail Price of Electricity to Residential Sector. Retrieved February 5,
2016, from http://www.eia.gov/state/rankings/?sid=UT#series/31
SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015
PV Magazine. (2015, February 26). Vivint Solar now offering residential solar leases in Utah. Retrieved January
28, 2016, from http://www.pv-magazine.com/services/press-releases/details/beitrag/vivint-solar-nowoffering-residential-solar-leases-in-utah_100018365/#axzz3yfvPfYPU
SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015
ENDNOTES
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
PacifiCorp. (2016, January). PacifiCorp Generation Interconnection Queue. Capacity values converted from
AC to DC using rough, standard conversion MW(DC)=MW(AC)*1.2 based on SEIA’s data treatment guidance.
Other capacity data outlets and project developers sometimes use a conversion factor of 1.3, which may reflect
conversions based on actual hardware.
Id.
SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015
SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015; and PacifiCorp. (2016, January). PacifiCorp Generation
Interconnection Queue. Capacity values converted from AC to DC using rough, standard conversion
MW(DC)=MW(AC)*1.2 based on SEIA’s data treatment guidance. Other capacity data outlets and project
developers sometimes use a conversion factor of 1.3, which may reflect conversions based on actual
hardware. This estimate was derived by adding SEIA data for cumulative capacity through 2014 (17.6 MW),
SEIA data for residential capacity additions in 2015 (18 MW), and PacifiCorp data for large installations in 2015
(200.6 MW).
SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015; and PacifiCorp. (2016, January). PacifiCorp Generation
Interconnection Queue. Capacity values converted from AC to DC using rough, standard conversion
MW(DC)=MW(AC)*1.2 based on SEIA’s data treatment guidance. Other capacity data outlets and project
developers sometimes use a conversion factor of 1.3, which may reflect conversions based on actual
hardware. This estimate was derived by adding SEIA data for residential capacity additions in 2015 (18 MW), and
PacifiCorp data for large installations in 2015 (200.6 MW).
JobsEQ 2015Q3
U.S Census Bureau, “Geographic Terms and Concepts - Census Divisions and Census Regions.” Found at: https://
www.census.gov/geo/reference/gtc/gtc_census_divreg.html
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population by state -- 2014
Annual Averages” and “Employment status of veterans 18 years and over by state – 2014 Annual Averages”.
Found at: http://www.bls.gov/
See, U.S. Department of Energy – Solar Ready Vets. Available at: http://energy.gov/eere/sunshot/solar-readyvets
SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015
Id.
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