Arizona Solar Jobs Census 2015

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
Hawaii 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 TSFs 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 years 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 Governors 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; aluecke@solarfound.org
www.TheSolarFoundation.org
Philip Jordan
Principal and Vice President
BW Research Partnership
508-384-2471; pjordan@bwresearch.com
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 years 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
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
states 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 industrys 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
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 Arizonas 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 nations 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 customers 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 utilitys 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 states renewable energy
standard.8
Regardless of the new fees merits, its

implementation significantly impacted the
economics of distributed solar installations
in SRPs 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 SRPs territory have fallen by
an estimated 75 - 95%.9 Arizona Public Service
(APS), the states largest investor-owned
utility, followed suit at the beginning of April,
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 states 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

Arizonas smaller-scale residential and nonresidential markets, and many of the states
utilities having largely achieved their goals for
solar deployment under the states 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 years job losses over the course of the
coming year, expanding their payrolls by more
than 580 workers, an increase of approximately
8.4%.13
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 Foundations 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
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 Arizonas legislative districts, counties, and metropolitan statistical areas
can be found in the appendix of this report and on The Solar Foundations 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 states
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 states 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
2,000
2013
2014
2015
2016E
An overwhelming majority of Arizonas 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 states 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 states 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
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 states solar workforce, compared to just 9.3% of the states
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
Bureaus 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 bachelors 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
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 states 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 Arizonas 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 states 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
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
National
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
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 states 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%
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 states 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
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 states 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%
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 years additions are a
far cry from the industrys 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 industrys recent doldrums in the context
of its historically strong performance and
note that, even though the states 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 states 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 industrys 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 states 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 industrys
most successful sector, and though it was
outweighed by the contraction of the installation
sector, Arizonas solar manufacturing workforce
grew by more than 27% over the course of

the year. The relative strength of the states
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
Commissions
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 industrys 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 states 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 Associations National Solar
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
states 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
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
16
36
15
148
44
19
42
17
276
218
59
66
15
179
141
23
19
596
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
22
3
0
11
18
3
75
78
62
17
19
4
51
40
7
5
168
32
25
7
8
2
21
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
13
585
173
17
11
491
145
15
92
27
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
12
51
113
107
8
82
185
53
119
26
48
29
12
50
25
139
62
23
61
165
130
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
73
19
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
ARIZONA STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
District
14
49
14
13
10
Union
Members
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
127
37
16
36
15
148
44
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
22
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
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
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
62
139
57
92
27
12
26
11
119
381
21
22
12
112
29
23
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
491
402
20
Union
Members
11
50
113
48
107
46
44
657
194
20
12
82
185
76
420
124
13
53
119
49
109
32
14
31
24
1,037
306
31
19
130
293
120
25
118
35
15
33
14
26
27
28
118
29
30
35
84
25
15
33
11
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
10
23
1
1
5,895
1,738
175
110
652
192
19
12
50
87
Yuma, AZ
Apache
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
26
113
33
26
739
1,663
680
82
184
75
14
1
1
0
0
32
Asian or
Older
Latino or
Union
Pacific
Workers
Hispanic
Members
Islanders
(55+)
1
25
ARIZONA COUNTIES
14
11
13
0
1
0
0
11
37
11
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
10
10
13
Veterans of
the US Armed
Forces
10
3
4
1
0
18
County
La Paz
Maricopa
Mohave
Navajo
Pima
Pinal
Santa Cruz
Yavapai
Yuma
Total
AfricanWomen
Employment
American
6
Asian or
Older
Latino or
Union
Pacific
Workers
Hispanic
Members
Islanders
(55+)
0
5,728
1,689
171
107
718
1,616
652
192
19
12
82
184
95
28
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
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
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/
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.
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, aluecke@solarfound.org.
The Solar Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and relies on public support. To learn more about supporting The Solar Foundations work, go to
www.TheSolarFoundation.org/donate/
Photo courtesy of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
21
Washington, DC | (202) 469-3750
www.TheSolarFoundation.org

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2015

ABOUT THE SOLAR FOUNDATION

COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) for

Finally, we want to thank all the Arizona

For questions or comments about this report, please contact either:

have continued to expand the size of their

U.S. PV Capacity Additions & Solar Jobs, 2010 - 2015E

Added Capacity (MW)

Capacity Data Source: SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2015