Beveridge & Diamond will host a joint brown bag Lunch & Learn with the Women's Council on Energy & the Environment. The event is titled "Solar Jobs and Community Impact: A Discussion of Solar Jobs, Diversity, Workforce Development, and Economic Impact" and will take place from 12:00pm to 1:30pm (EDT) on May 31 in our Washington, DC, office.

Zoe Ripecky (The Solar Foundation), Kerene Tayloe (Green For All), Emma Rodvien (Solar United Neighbors), and Madison Freeman (Young Professionals in Foreign Policy) will discuss solar jobs and their impact on communities around the U.S. This will include an overview of the findings of the Solar Jobs Census, as well as a discussion of best practices for expanding diversity in the industry, economic impacts of solar deployment, and how current policies will impact solar jobs.

The Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census 2017 found that there were over 250,000 Americans employed in the solar industry, a 3.8% decline from the previous year. Despite the decrease, long term trends have been strong. Over the past 7 years, solar employment has grown by 168%. Last year, solar jobs also increased in 29 states and the District of Columbia, including in many states with emerging markets where solar is just getting off the ground. Strong long-term growth and expansion into new markets are both positive signs for the industry. Still, more needs to be done to develop a more diverse workforce, provide job training to new workers, and expand access to the full benefits of solar energy for all citizens. Solar industry growth depends on stable and transparent policies, expansion of consumer energy choices, and workforce development programs, particularly in states with new and rapid jobs growth.

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