ARIZONA SOLAR JOBS CENSUS
Transcription
ARIZONA SOLAR JOBS CENSUS
2015 ARIZONA 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 ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY ENERGY POLICY INNOVATION COUNCIL The Energy Policy Innovation Council (EPIC) at Arizona State University informs and educates policymakers and key stakeholders on current, complex issues in energy policy that impact Arizona and beyond. In addition to creating policy brief sheets, videos, and reports, EPIC staff and student researchers strive to make policy more accessible in innovative ways, such as live-tweeting public hearings. EPIC is currently engaged in the transformative regulatory proceedings underway in Hawai’i and in Clean Power Plan activities in Arizona. EPIC is housed within the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 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 Arizona 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 Arizona State University Energy Policy Innovation Council 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 Arizona 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 “Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015, The Solar Foundation, available at: www.TSFcensus.org and SolarStates.org” PLACEHOLDERPhoto IMAGE courtesy of Wikimedia Commons - Flagstaff AZ 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 that of 2014 – bringing total U.S. solar capacity to nearly 27.5 gigawatts (GW).1 As the rate of capacity installation has accelerated, employers across the country have continued to expand the size of their payrolls. This year’s sixth annual National Solar Jobs Census found that the U.S. solar industry employed 208,859 workers as of November 2015, representing the 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 250,000 8,000 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) 208,859 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 Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 1 Arizona Solar Capacity Additions, 2010 - 2015E Added Capacity (MW) 800.0 700.0 600.0 500.0 400.0 300.0 200.0 100.0 0.0 2010 Residential (PV) 2011 2012 Non-Residential (PV) 2013 Utility (PV) 2014 2015E Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Source: SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015 Contrary to the positive trends currently enjoyed by the solar industry at the national level, the Arizona solar industry has stagnated in recent years, with annual capacity additions peaking in 2012 before leveling off in 2013 and dropping precipitously in 2014.2 Despite this, 2014 witnessed a slight rebound in the size of the state’s solar workforce, but the contraction of the local market and other headwinds seemed to catch up with payrolls in 2015. As of November, only 6,922 workers were employed by the solar industry in the state, representing a 24.5% reduction in the size of the workforce since 2014, and a massive underperformance compared to employer projections of 21% growth from the previous year.3 As of September, just under 141 MW of solar capacity had been installed in Arizona during 2015, substantially less than the similarly sunny neighboring state of Nevada, with nearly 218 MW installed during the same period. Although the local industry’s past success earned Arizona the distinction of becoming only the second state to cross over the 2 GW threshold in 2014, it is currently projected to be surpassed by Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 North Carolina in total installed capacity over the course of 2016, as the sluggishness of the local market is expected to continue.4 Utility-scale development made up the bulk of Arizona’s 2015 capacity additions, and has done so each year since 2011,5 but rather than symbolizing a healthy market for large projects, this is actually emblematic of the struggles faced by the smaller-scale residential and non-residential markets in the state.6 At multiple times over the course of the year, these struggles were thrust into the national spotlight, establishing Arizona as a flashpoint in the contentious debates over the evolution of rooftop solar policy and electric utility rate design. In February, Salt River Project (SRP), one of the nation’s largest municipal electric utilities, serving large swaths of the Phoenix metropolitan area, approved a new fee of roughly $50 per month on all leased or owned solar systems connected to the electric grid in their territory.7 The utility explained the new fees, structured to vary based on a solar customer’s electricity usage during times of peak demand, as a 2 mechanism to ensure that all of their customers, both solar and non-solar, were paying their share to maintain the grid as a resource that benefits everyone. The utilities maintain that under the old rate structure, net metering could effectively zero out solar customers’ monthly electric bills while the customers still benefitted from their connection to the grid. Residential solar companies and advocates challenged the utility’s claims, pointing to other benefits of distributed solar that were excluded from the analysis, such as mitigating pollution, reducing the need for new investments in transmission infrastructure and conventional power plants, reducing electricity lost during transmission over long power lines, and saving the utility money by helping them meet their obligations under the state’s renewable energy standard.8 Regardless of the new fee’s merits, its implementation significantly impacted the economics of distributed solar installations in SRP’s territory. While customers who filed paperwork for approval of their projects before December 8th, 2014 were grandfathered in under the previously existing rate structure, all others were subjected to the new fee, in many cases eliminating their expected monthly savings from solar. Subsequently, applications for rooftop installations in SRP’s territory have fallen by an estimated 75 - 95%.9 Arizona Public Service (APS), the state’s largest investor-owned utility, followed suit at the beginning of April, Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 requesting a fee increase of their own, but pulled the request in September after months of public pressure from both activists and the solar industry.10 These ongoing debates have prompted action by the state’s utility regulator, the Arizona Corporation Commission, and a proceeding has been scheduled for 2016 to set a standard for how Arizona utilities should credit customers with solar systems for the energy they send back to the grid based on a comprehensive analysis of the true value of distributed solar generation.11 As of November, only 6,922 workers were employed by the solar industry in Arizona, representing a 24.5% reduction in the size of the workforce since 2014. With uncertainty casting a shadow over Arizona’s smaller-scale residential and nonresidential markets, and many of the state’s utilities having largely achieved their goals for solar deployment under the state’s renewable energy standard, capacity installation is expected to slow even further in 2016. 12 Even so, Arizona employers expect to recoup a portion of this year’s job losses over the course of the coming year, expanding their payrolls by more than 580 workers, an increase of approximately 8.4%.13 3 ABOUT THE ARIZONA SOLAR JOBS CENSUS 2015 This report includes information about all types of Arizona 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 Arizona. 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 15 of this report. Photo courtesy of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 4 ARIZONA SOLAR JOBS Key Data Points Total Solar Jobs, 2015 6,922 Cumulative Installed Capacity thru Q3 2015 (MW)14 2,209.8 Projected Solar Jobs Growth, 2016 580 (8.4%) Capacity Installed in 2015 thru Q3 (MW)15 140.9 Detailed employment and demographic data for Arizona’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. WORKFORCE OVERVIEW Installation Jobs 2,549 Manufacturing Jobs 2,400 Sales & Distribution Jobs 1,095 The Arizona solar industry employs 6,922 workers at 2,867 establishments throughout the state, is ranked 7th nationally in solar jobs, and 6th in solar jobs as a share of the state’s total employment. The solar workforce in the state contracted by 24.5% since Census 2014, representing a loss of 2,248 jobs; which is fully opposite the roughly 2,000 jobs employers had expected to add during the year. Employers expect a reversal of this trend in 2016, adding approximately 580 new solar workers to payrolls over the next 12 months – a growth rate of 8.4% – while the state’s workforce as a whole is projected to grow only 1.3% during the same period.16 Arizona Solar Jobs, 2013 - 2016E 10,000 8,000 8,558 9,170 6,992 6,000 7,501 4,000 Project Development Jobs 584 Other Jobs 294 Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 2,000 2013 2014 2015 2016E An overwhelming majority of Arizona’s solar firms (88.8%) report working primarily on utility-scale solar projects, compared to 4.4% for residential and 6.8% for non-residential projects. This is a significant departure from employer responses to Census 2014, when nearly 60% of installation firms, who comprised over half of the state’s workforce during the year, worked primarily on residential projects. This shift in market focus is unsurprising given the current level of uncertainty surrounding distributed generation projects in the state. 6 The Arizona solar workforce is generally less diverse than the state’s workforce as a whole, with women (29.5%), African-Americans (3.0%), Asian or Pacific Islanders (1.9%), and Latinos (12.5%) all relatively underrepresented. How- ever, many of these otherwise underserved demographics – women, Latinos, older workers, and veterans – are represented in the state solar workforce at higher rates than their counterparts in the solar industry nationwide. ARIZONA SOLAR ARIZONA OVERALL U.S. SOLAR 17 WORKFORCE EMPLOYMENT WORKFORCE Women 29.5% 46.1% 23.8% African-American 3.0% 4.6% 5.1% Asian or Pacific Islander 1.9% 4.0% 8.6% Latino or Hispanic 12.5% 33.7% 11.3% Older Workers (55+) 28.2% 20.6% 18.6% - - 5.5% 11.5% 9.3% 8.1% Union Members Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces 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 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 Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 by facilitating the transition from military service to employment in the civilian solar workforce.18 Arizona solar firms clearly understand this value proposition, with veterans comprising 11.5% of the state’s solar workforce, compared to just 9.3% of the state’s total workforce and 8.1% of the solar workforce nationally. 7 Position Solar Installer Solar Sales Representative Solar System Designer Solar Assembly Worker Arizona Median Wage Mountain Division Median Wage U.S. Median Wage $18.00 $20.00 $21.00 $22.00 $25.50 $26.92 $36.06 $33.65 - Wages paid by firms in the Arizona solar industry differ slightly from those paid by solar employers across the other states in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Mountain Division19 and the industry nationwide. Solar installers in the state are among the lowest paid in the country, at $18.00 per hour, but solar sales representatives are better paid than their counterparts nationally. Solar employers in Arizona experience a slightly higher level of difficulty on average finding qual- $28.85 - $18.00 ified candidates to fill openings on their payrolls than other solar firms across the country. Solar employers in Arizona and the Mountain Division require greater work experience and less education than reported by firms nationally. Arizona firms required related work experience for nearly 86% of positions hired. In contrast, they required a bachelor’s degree or more for only 12.1% of positions. Difficulty Hiring in Arizona Arizona 20.0% Mountain 54.3% 28.0% National 51.8% 24.2% 0% 20.2% 51.7% 20% Not Difficult Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 25.7% 40% Somewhat Difficult 24.2% 60% 80% 100% Very Difficult 8 Just over 44% of Arizona solar firms reported that they receive all of their revenues from solar activities, which is lower than the national average of 48.2%, while 31.5% reported that they receive less than half of their revenues from solar activities, compared to 28.5% nationally. A significantly smaller portion of the state’s solar firms (54.5%) work primarily with in-state customers than solar firms nationally (65.6%), though a larger portion (18.2%) work primarily with customers in a bordering state than solar firms nationally (5.0%). This latter difference makes a great deal of sense, given the large solar markets of Arizona’s neighboring states in the sunny Southwest. As part of the 2015 Census effort, employers were asked about the impacts of specific existing, pending and proposed policies on their business prospects. Arizona employers overwhelmingly cite the federal investment tax credit (ITC) as substantially contributing to their firms’ success, with 64.3% of respondents referring to it directly, more than doubling the second most commonly cited policy, the state’s renewable energy standard, at 30.4%. The following pages include detailed breakdowns of workforce data by sector. While there are a number of Arizona solar firms focusing on manufacturing, sales and distribution, and other activities, an insufficient number of these firms responded to the survey to provide statistically significant data for each individual sector. Businesses Citing Policies Contributing to Success Investment Tax Credit (ITC) State Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) EPA Clean Power Plan Other Tax Exemptions, Credits, & Rebates Utility Rebates Net Metering 0.0% Arizona Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% National 9 Sector Jobs 2,549 Change Since 2014 -2,282 INSTALLATION The installation sector is the largest sector of the U.S. solar industry and is composed of companies that primarily install PV, solar water heating, and other solar energy technologies. Rate of Change Since 2014 The installation sector is responsible for 36.8% of all solar employment in Arizona, employing 2,549 workers. This represents a dramatic decrease of more than 47% since 2014, when firms in the sector employed 4,831 workers, or 52.6% of the workforce. Establishments AZ Installation Jobs, 2013 - 2015 -47.2% 1,594 5,000 4,831 4,000 3,000 3,311 2,549 2,000 Solar Installer Median Wage $18/hr Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 1,000 0 2013 2014 2015 10 Installation Sector - Difficulty Hiring AZ Installation 12.5% U.S. Installation 56.3% 19.7% 0% 31.3% 54.2% 20% Not Difficult 40% 60% Somewhat Difficult Arizona installation firms report greater levels of difficulty finding qualified candidates to fill openings on their payrolls than firms in other sectors of the state’s solar industry, as well as other firms in the installation sector nationwide. A significantly smaller percentage of Arizona installation firms (70.0%) work primarily with in-state customers than their counterparts in the installation sector nationwide (81.5%). 26.0% 80% 100% Very Difficult Similarly, a smaller percentage of installation firms in the state are pure play solar businesses, receiving 100% of their revenue from solar activities, than installation firms across the country. This diversification, both of business activity and customer base, may in part be a reaction by employers to the recent uncertainty in the local market. Installation Sector - % Revenues from Solar 5.0% AZ Installation 20.0% 11.7% 0% 7.2% U.S. Installation 22.1% 20% 1-24% Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 30.0% Pure Plays, 45.0% Pure Plays, 59.0% 40% 25-49% 60% 50-99% 80% 100% Pure Plays 11 Sector Jobs 584 Change Since 2014 +92 Rate of Growth Since 2014 18.7% PROJECT DEVELOPMENT The project development sector includes companies that plan, design and build large commercial- and utility-scale solar projects. The project development sector is responsible for 8.4% of all solar employment in Arizona, employing 584 workers. This represents a reversal of fortunes and a return to growth for the sector, which had witnessed a nearly 75% reduction in its workforce from 2013 to 2014, although it still comprises a much smaller portion of the state’s solar jobs than it did in 2013, when project developers employed nearly 22% of Arizona solar workers. Establishments 262 AZ Project Development Jobs, 2013 - 2015 2,000 1,500 1,874 1,000 Solar System Designer Median Wage $22/hr Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 500 492 584 2013 2014 2015 12 Project Development Sector - Difficulty Hiring AZ Project Development 11.8% U.S. Project Development 58.8% 54.1% 21.4% 0% 20% Not Difficult 29.4% 40% Somewhat Difficult Arizona project developers report greater levels of difficulty finding qualified candidates to fill openings on their payrolls than firms on average across the state’s solar industry more broadly, as well as other firms in the project development sector nationwide. A significantly smaller percentage of Arizona project development firms (60.9%) work 24.5% 60% 80% 100% Very Difficult primarily with in-state customers than their counterparts in the project development sector nationwide (74.9%). Similarly, a smaller percentage of project development firms in the state are pure play solar businesses, receiving 100% of their revenue from solar activities, than project development firms across the country. Project Development Sector - % Revenues from Solar 17.4% 14.5% 0% 20% 1-24% Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 7.8% U.S. Project Development 4.3% AZ Project Development 25-49% 30.4% 23.1% Pure Plays, 47.8% Pure Plays, 54.6% 40% 60% 50-99% Pure Plays 80% 100% 13 CONCLUSION While the Arizona solar industry is expected to have installed slightly more solar capacity in 2015 than 2014, the year’s additions are a far cry from the industry’s peak in 2012, and little is expected to change over the next twelve months. The troubles plaguing the Arizona solar industry are expected to continue in 2016, with regulatory uncertainty casting doubt over individual solar customers’ ability to earn a sufficient return on their investment and utilities generally satisfied with a relatively slow pace of utility-scale development. Industry experts project less solar capacity to be added in the state in 2016 than in 2015. It is important however, to consider the Arizona solar industry’s recent doldrums in the context of its historically strong performance and note that, even though the state’s solar firms employ fewer people than they did at the end of 2014, the workforce itself is still quite large relative to other states in the country. At 6,922 workers, the state’s solar workforce is the 7th largest in the country, well ahead of its eastern neighbor New Mexico (1,899), but well behind Nevada (8,764) to the northwest. Even with the industry’s somewhat bleak outlook for the coming year, employers are expecting to expand their payrolls, adding roughly 580 jobs, representing 8.4% growth in 2016 – more than six times the growth expected for the state’s economy, but only a little more than half the growth expected for the U.S. solar industry at large. While employment in both the manufacturing and project development sectors grew in 2015, manufacturing was definitely the industry’s most successful sector, and though it was outweighed by the contraction of the installation sector, Arizona’s solar manufacturing workforce Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 grew by more than 27% over the course of the year. The relative strength of the state’s manufacturing sector is also made apparent by the rather low percentage of firms working primarily with in-state customers (54.5%) compared to solar firms across the country (65.6%), reflecting healthy demand for their solar products and equipment in other markets. It is unclear how the debates between utilities and the solar industry or the Arizona Corporation Commission’s proceeding regarding the appropriate value of solar will pan out, but the geographic realities of the desert state and the ever-decreasing costs associated with solar all but ensure the viability of the Arizona solar industry in the long-term. In order to sustain this future growth, it is essential that Arizona employers have ready access to quality talent and skilled labor or enhance their on-the-job training offerings. To achieve this, more focused and comprehensive solar training efforts – inhouse, in-state, and across the country – must be sufficiently emphasized. These efforts would reduce the industry’s talent acquisition, training, and retention costs, increasing efficiency across the solar value chain, and ultimately reducing costs for Arizona solar customers. This research shows that the Arizona 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 different 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. 14 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 Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 Database, as well as other public and private 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. 15 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. ARIZONA FEDERAL CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS District 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 District 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total AfricanWomen Employment American Asian or Pacific Islanders Older Veterans of Latino or Union Workers the US Armed Hispanic Members (55+) Forces 534 406 41 26 172 388 - 159 435 96 10 6 41 91 - 37 1,376 419 1,127 332 547 49 688 158 165 203 1,854 324 128 123 34 55 5 21 35 3 16 10 20 13 13 12 8 8 141 318 232 523 21 46 67 151 86 194 55 123 52 118 ARIZONA STATE SENATE Total AfricanWomen Employment American Asian or Older Latino or Pacific Workers Hispanic Islanders (55+) - 130 214 19 62 50 48 79 Union Members Veterans of the US Armed Forces 127 37 4 2 16 36 - 15 148 44 4 3 19 42 - 17 276 218 59 66 15 179 141 23 19 596 Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 82 64 18 19 4 53 42 7 6 176 8 6 2 2 0 5 4 1 1 18 5 4 1 1 0 35 27 7 8 2 3 22 0 2 3 0 11 18 3 75 78 62 17 19 4 51 40 7 5 168 - 32 25 7 8 2 - 21 - 2 - 16 3 69 16 District 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Total AfricanWomen Employment American 215 30 63 9 6 1 Asian or Older Latino or Pacific Workers Hispanic Islanders (55+) 4 27 2 13 1 585 173 17 11 491 145 15 9 92 27 3 104 182 402 381 29 31 54 119 112 9 3 5 12 11 1 657 194 20 420 124 13 1,037 118 0 118 109 84 306 35 0 35 32 25 31 3 8 7 2 1 12 4 4 12 51 113 107 8 82 185 53 119 2 2 - 26 48 3 3 29 8 12 50 0 2 25 139 0 4 - 62 23 0 8 61 165 130 2 Veterans of the US Armed Forces 73 19 4 Union Members 15 15 14 11 293 33 0 33 31 24 - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Total AfricanWomen Employment American Asian or Older Latino or Pacific Workers Hispanic Islanders (55+) 68 21 57 46 44 11 3 76 - 120 - 0 - ARIZONA STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES District 3 14 49 14 13 10 Union Members Veterans of the US Armed Forces 127 37 4 2 16 36 - 15 148 44 4 3 19 42 - 17 276 218 59 66 15 179 141 23 19 82 64 18 19 4 53 42 7 6 8 6 2 2 0 5 4 1 1 5 4 1 1 0 35 27 7 8 2 3 22 0 2 3 0 18 3 78 62 17 19 4 51 40 7 5 596 176 18 11 75 168 585 173 17 11 73 165 215 30 104 182 Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 63 9 31 54 6 1 3 5 4 1 2 3 27 4 13 23 61 8 29 51 - 32 25 7 8 2 - 21 - 2 - 16 3 - 69 - 68 - 25 3 12 21 17 District Asian or Older Latino or Pacific Workers Hispanic Islanders (55+) Total AfricanWomen Employment American 18 19 145 15 9 62 139 - 57 92 27 3 2 12 26 - 11 119 381 21 22 12 112 29 23 Veterans of the US Armed Forces 491 402 20 Union Members 8 11 9 50 7 1 113 48 1 - 107 4 46 - 8 44 - 3 657 194 20 12 82 185 - 76 420 124 13 8 53 119 - 49 109 32 3 14 31 24 1,037 306 31 19 130 293 - 120 25 118 35 4 2 15 33 - 14 26 27 0 28 0 118 29 30 35 84 0 0 3 2 4 25 0 2 0 15 2 - 33 11 0 - 14 - 24 13 - ARIZONA METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS Metropolitan Statistical Area Total AfricanWomen Employment American AZ NONMETROPOLITAN AREA 80 Flagstaff, AZ Prescott, AZ Cochise Coconino Gila Graham Greenlee 1 10 23 - 1 1 1 6 5,895 1,738 175 110 652 192 19 12 50 87 Yuma, AZ Apache 2 13 Tucson, AZ County Asian or Latino Older Veterans of Union Pacific or Workers the US Armed Members Islanders Hispanic (55+) Forces 45 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ PhoenixMesa-Scottsdale, AZ 24 15 1 26 113 33 3 5 26 - 739 1,663 - 680 82 184 - 75 2 14 3 0 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 - 32 - Asian or Older Latino or Union Pacific Workers Hispanic Members Islanders (55+) 1 8 25 ARIZONA COUNTIES 0 1 Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 14 5 11 13 0 1 0 0 9 - 0 11 5 6 1 37 11 2 3 Total AfricanWomen Employment American 10 3 10 13 Veterans of the US Armed Forces 1 - 1 3 - 1 7 5 10 0 0 1 6 1 - 3 4 1 0 18 County La Paz Maricopa Mohave Navajo Pima Pinal Santa Cruz Yavapai Yuma Total AfricanWomen Employment American 6 2 0 Asian or Older Latino or Union Pacific Workers Hispanic Members Islanders (55+) 0 1 2 - 5 - 5,728 1,689 171 107 718 1,616 652 192 19 12 82 184 95 28 3 2 12 27 50 19 167 7 113 15 6 49 2 33 1 1 5 0 3 1 0 3 0 2 6 2 21 1 14 14 47 2 32 Veterans of the US Armed Forces 1 - 661 - 75 - 11 - 6 2 19 1 13 Photo courtesy of Recurrent Energy Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 19 ENDNOTES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015 Id. The Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2014 can be found at www.TSFCensus.org SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015 Id. 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). Bade, G. (2015, February 27). SRP board votes to increase charges on solar owners. Retrieved January 12, 2016, from http://www.utilitydive.com/news/srp-board-votes-to-increase-charges-on-solar-owners/369377/ Arizona Renewable Energy Standard. Retrieved January 12, 2016, from http://programs.dsireusa.org/system/ program/detail/268 Pyper, J. (2015, November 10). Arizona Court Advances SolarCity Lawsuit Against Salt River Project Over Solar Fees. Retrieved January 12, 2016, from http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/arizona-court-advancessolarcity-lawsuit-against-salt-river-project Leingang, R. (2015, September 25). APS drops bid for solar fee increase, blames “political gamesmanship”. Retrieved January 12, 2016, from http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2015/09/25/aps-drops-bid-for-solar-feeincrease/ Trabish, H. (2015, November 2). Arizona gears up for full cost-benefit solar value proceeding. Retrieved January 13, 2016, from http://www.utilitydive.com/news/arizona-gears-up-for-full-cost-benefit-solar-valueproceeding/408375/ SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015 It is important to note that these projections were based on employer-reported hiring plans for 2016 that may have since changed in light of the extension of the federal investment tax credit in December of 2015. SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015 Id. JobsEQ 2015Q3 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 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 COPYRIGHT NOTICE Unless otherwise noted, all design, text, graphics, and the selection and arrangement thereof are Copyright February 2016 by The Solar Foundation® and BW Research Partnership. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any use of materials in this report, including reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication, without the prior written consent of The Solar Foundation and BW Research Partnership, is strictly prohibited. For questions about this report, please contact Andrea Luecke at The Solar Foundation, [email protected]. The Solar Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and relies on public support. To learn more about supporting The Solar Foundation’s work, go to www.TheSolarFoundation.org/donate/ Photo courtesy of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015 21 Washington, DC | (202) 469-3750 www.TheSolarFoundation.org