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Data on Solar Industry Diversity

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Diversity in Solar is Comparable to Other Industries

  • According to data from the National Solar Jobs Census 2020, demographic representation in the solar industry is comparable to other industries, but still has a long way to go before matching the diversity of the U.S. overall
  • Solar workers identify as “female” at almost three times the rate of the overall construction industry
  • Veterans make up a significantly larger share of the solar workforce (9%) than the overall economy (6%)
  • Environmental justice and equity are embedded in the solar industry’s policy priorities and growth planning and will be critical as the industry rises to meet the interrelated challenges of climate change, economic inequality and social and environmental justice

Solar Grew More Diverse in 2020

  • Nearly all demographic measures of diversity in the solar workforce saw modest increases in 2020, bringing numbers to an all-time high across most categories
  • Women in solar grew from 26% to 30%
  • While the industry overall lost workers in 2020, the number of women employed in solar increased by nearly 4,800 to more than 69,000
  • Since 2015, solar industry employment has increased by 39% for women, 92% for Hispanic or Latino workers, 18% for Asian workers, 73% for Black or African American workers, and 19% for veterans
  • Over that same time, overall solar industry employment has risen by 11%  
  • The share of workers who are members of Labor Unions now stands at 10.3%