N.C. 10th in solar jobs

North Carolina has moved up to No. 10 in the number of people employed in the U.S. solar industry, according to a report from The Solar Foundation, a national nonprofit research organization.

The report found that 3,100 people in the state at the end of 2013 were employed in the solar-power industry, up 121 percent from the end of 2012, when N.C. was 18^th in the nation in solar jobs. The growth in solar-industry jobs correlates with an increased effort to install solar power. In 2013, the state was second in the amount of solar-power equipment put in place, according to Solarbuzz, a solar market research firm. Only California installed more solar energy equipment in 2013.

“Not only has our state seen tremendous growth in solar installations, but this report confirms that those installations mean more jobs for North Carolinians,” Kelly Martin, senior campaign representative with Sierra Club, said in The Solar Foundation’s release. “More than 3,000 North Carolinians are supporting their families with solar jobs. Solar is a standout job creator in North Carolina, and can continue to grow with smart policies and support from state leaders.”

State solar employment figures were generated using thousands of data points from a combination of sources, including The Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census and the Solar Energy Industries Association’s National Solar Database. While the margin of error for some of the smaller solar-jobs states remains wide, The Solar Foundation said these numbers are believed to be the most credible and up-to-date state-level solar jobs numbers. The National Solar Jobs Census 2013 was conducted by The Solar Foundation and BW Research Partnership with support from The George Washington University’s Solar Institute.