Solar Jobs Are On The Rise In Georgia

After a two-year decline, jobs in the solar industry are on the rise in Georgia and the rest of the nation.

The National Solar Jobs Census is an annual count conducted by the nonprofit Solar Foundation. It said Georgia saw the largest increase in solar jobs of any state in the nation, and now has nearly 5,000 people employed in the industry.

Solar Foundation senior director Ed Gilliland said the increase in jobs is driven by the plummeting cost of installing solar technologies.

“It’s now down about 77% since 2010, and as those costs decline, it makes it more economical to develop solar in states like Georgia with relatively low electricity rates,” he said.

Gilliland said he expects growth to continue in Georgia, which he says has new markets in households and businesses that have yet to tap into solar power.