The solar industry added thousands of jobs nationwide last year, according to the latest study by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, and that trend is likely to continue.
The numbers showed growth in some sectors but losses in others, as residential jobs outpaced those in the utility-scale market.
But overall, the industry showed growth of 3.5%, and analysts say the upward trend is likely to continue as the Inflation Reduction Act funds renewable energy projects nationwide.
Ed Gilliland of IREC, a nonprofit that tracks industry trends, said that Arizona’s gains have been modest in recent years, but that could change.
"So utility scale is going to bounce back really big, and that will of course propel some growth in jobs, and Arizona should also be part of that pickup for job growth in 2023," Gilliland said.
The report showed that Arizona ranks sixth in the nation for solar energy jobs.
