The Solar Foundation (TSF) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission

is to increase understanding of solar energy through strategic research that educates the
public and transforms 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, peerreviewed methodology, TSF has conducted an annual Census in each of the last five years to
track changes and analyze trends.
This California Solar Jobs Census 2014 report is an offshoot of TSFs National Solar Jobs
Census 2014 effort. Research partners for the Census 2014 effort include:
The George Washington University Solar Institute;
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA);
U.S. Department of Energys SunShot program and the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL) and;
Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC).
Other sponsors and key contributors to this years Census include: Energy Foundation,
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Tilia Fund, SolarCity, SunPower, SunEdison, GTM
Research/SEIA for providing survey respondents with the U.S. Solar Market Insight: 2013
YIR report, and Cornell Universitys School of Industrial Labor Relations for validating the
original Census methodological framework. Survey data for California were combined with
responses from the Advanced Energy Economy Institutes (AEEI) California Advanced
Energy Employment Survey under a data-share agreement with the AEEI.
Finally, we want to thank all the California 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
505 9th Street NW, Suite 800 Washington DC 20004
202-469-3750; info@solarfound.org; www.TheSolarFoundation.org
Philip Jordan, Principal and Vice President
BW Research Partnership
50 Mill Pond Drive Wrentham, MA 02093
508-384-2471; pjordan@bwresearch.com; www.bwresearch.com
Please cite this publication when referencing this material as California Solar Jobs Census
2014, The Solar Foundation, available at: www.tsfcensus.org
2

About the California Solar Jobs Census 2014

This report includes information about all types of California 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 month
of October 2014 that include more than 20,000 telephone calls and 7,859 emails to known
and potential solar establishments across California, resulting in a margin of error of +/2.82% at a 95% confidence interval. 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.
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 that
educates the public and transforms markets. TSF is considered the premier research
organization on the solar 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
these 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 and numerous skills and gap analyses for community
colleges, workforce investment boards, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
BW Research provides high-quality data and keen insight into economic and workforce
issues related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation, recycling, water,
waste and wastewater management, and other environmental fields. The principals of the
firm are committed to providing research and analysis for data-driven decision making.

The U.S. set another record for new solar capacity in 2014. Solar installations continued to
increase at a remarkable pace, with annual installed capacity growing by 40% over that
installed the previous year to 7,200 megawatts (MW).1 With this increased capacity has
come growth in the solar workforce. The Solar Foundations National Solar Jobs Census
2014 found that the U.S. solar industry employs 173,807 solar workers as of November
2014. This figure represents 21.8% growth in employment over 2013, making 2014 the
second consecutive year in which growth was near or above 20% and exceeded Census
projections. Since the first Census report was conducted in 2010, employment in the solar
industry has grown by 86%. Solar employers nationwide remain optimistic about
continued growth in the short term expecting to add over 36,000 workers in 2015 but
are anxious about the impact expected federal policy changes will have on solar
employment.
As in previous years, California remains the top solar state in terms of both installed
capacity and employment. As of October 2014, California employs 54,690 solar
workers, representing a 15.8% increase in employment over the previous year.
Given a mostly stable policy environment, the increasing financial benefits of solar energy
relative to conventional forms of electricity, and projected continued near-term growth in
installed capacity, solar employers in the state are optimistic about employment in 2015,
expecting to expand their workforce by 17.2% over the next twelve months, or nearly
9,400 jobs.

SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2014

Figure 1: California Annual Solar Capacity Additions, 2010-2016E

7000.0

Megawatts (MWdc)

6000.0
5000.0
4000.0
3000.0
2000.0
1000.0
0.0
2010
Residential (PV)

2011

2012

Non-residential (PV)

2013
Utility (PV)

2014E

2015E

2016E

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)

Source: SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2014

Californias success in solar employment is unsurprising given its status as the national
leader in solar energy. The first to adopt pro-solar policies, California has served as a model
for other states for decades. Its early support and focus on market transformation
continues to pay dividends, as California is expected to have accounted for 46% of all new
U.S. solar capacity in 20142 and is home to nearly one-third of all solar workers in the
nation.
Among its collection of strong solar-friendly state policies is an aggressive renewable
portfolio standard (RPS) which currently mandates that 33% of retail electricity sales be
derived from renewable technologies by 2020, and recent announcements suggest a state
policy push to increase the standard to 50% renewables by 2030.3 While utilities currently
have large enough renewable portfolios to meet their obligations under this policy for the
next couple of years,4 the large investor-owned utilities are continuing to pursue new solar
projects that can be placed into service in time to take advantage of the 30% investment tax
credit (ITC), which is set to reduce to 10% for commercial projects and to expire
completely for residential installations after 2016.5 Looking ahead, 2015 is expected to
have less utility-scale installed capacity than was seen in 2014; however, the following year
Id.
See: California Governor Jerry Brown Calls for 50% Renewables by 2030 from Greentech Media at
www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/calif.-gov.-jerry-brown-calls-for-50-renewables-by-2030
4 California Public Utilities Commission Renewables Portfolio Standard Quarterly Report: 3 rd Quarter 2014,
available at www.cpuc.ca.gov/NR/rdonlyres/CA15A2A8-234D-4FB4-BE4105409E8F6316/0/2014Q3RPSReportFinal.pdf
5 SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2014
2
3

 the last year for the 30% ITC under current policy will see nearly 50% growth in utility
capacity relative to 2014.6 Given the lengthy project development and construction
timelines associated with these facilities, it is likely that these projects are already
supporting solar workers and will contribute to the solar job growth expected in 2015.
Figure 2: Utility-scale solar projects in California, 2013-2015

Another powerful driver of solar growth in the state at least until very recently was the
California Solar Initiative (CSI), a statewide solar rebate program established in 2007 with
the goal of adding 1,940 MW of new installed capacity by 2016.7 Over the course of 2014,
however, residential and non-residential program caps were met for nearly all three
investor-owned utilities, with only a few megawatts of capacity remaining for nonresidential projects in the San Diego Gas & Electric service territory.8 Despite the waning
availability of these incentives, residential installations in 2014 grew by 50% over the
previous year, and both the residential and non-residential market segments are projected
to grow in 2015, even without the aid of these incentives. The feasibility of financing
residential projects without state incentives was already starting to be seen in 2014, with
Id.
See About the California Solar Initiative from California Public Utilities Commission at
www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/Solar/aboutsolar.htm
8 See California Solar Initiative Statewide Trigger Tracker from Go Solar California at http://csitrigger.com/ (accessed January 23, 2015)
6
7

60-90% of new residential systems installed without this support.9 This trend is a
reflection of both the falling cost of residential solar and the increased use of financing
options, such as property assessed clean energy (PACE) and third-party ownership (which
accounted for nearly three-quarters of all new residential systems in Q3 2014).10 Driven by
these factors, California has accounted for at least half of all residential installations in the
U.S. since 2013, and is expected to continue to do so for the foreseeable future.11
Much of the remaining CSI capacity over the course of 2014 was available for nonresidential projects, with greater incentives available for government or nonprofit
installations. As such, public sector projects (such as those for schools and local
governments) accounted for the majority of non-residential projects installed in the state
throughout the year.12 This spike in public sector installations will surely help California
maintain its position as the national leader in K-12 schools with solar photovoltaic (PV)
installations. A recent report from The Solar Foundation found that over 960 such
installations existed in the state (representing about 26% of all K-12 solar energy projects
in the U.S.), and that nearly all current non-solar schools stand to save money by going
solar.13
Looking ahead, employers are apprehensive about the impact scheduled changes to the ITC
will have on employment. Current leading industry research projects a 60% decline in new
installed capacity between 2016 and 2017, with the utility market segment to be hit the
hardest (installing in 2017 only 12% of the solar PV projected for the final year of the
current ITC)14. Given the close relationship between annual installed capacity and
employment, California employers like those in other states and at the national level
report that these changes stand to negatively impact solar employment.

SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2014

Id.
11 Id.
12 SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Q3 2014
13 The Solar Foundation. (2014) Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in U.S. Schools. Available at
http://schools.tsfcensus.org
14 Id.
9

10

The California solar industry employs 54,690 workers at 3,813 establishments throughout
the state and is ranked first in jobs and #3 in jobs as a percentage of total employment.
Statewide solar employment grew by 15.8% since Census 2013, representing the
addition of almost 7,500 jobs over the twelve month period, a rate that is more than
10 times faster than overall state job growth over the same period (1.5%)15. To put
the California solar industry into perspective, there are more solar workers in California
than there are actors, bank tellers, dental assistants, or middle school teachers.16
Furthermore, employers are optimistic about 2015, expecting to add nearly 9,400 new
solar workers, at an annual growth rate of 17.2%, compared to projections of only 1.2% for
all jobs across the state.17
Figure 3: California Solar Employment 2013 2015
70,000

64,080

60,000
50,000

54,690
47,223

40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
2013

2014

2015 (Projected)

Employees spending at least 50% of their time

on solar-related work

Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment Statistics

Economic Modeling Specialists, International, 2014.3
17 Economic Modeling Specialists, International, 2014.3
15
16

While the state growth rate for 2014 is slower than the national average (where solar
employment grew by 21.8%), and California added nearly 3,000 fewer jobs than firms
predicted at the end of 2013, the states solar industry represented nearly a quarter (24%)
of all solar jobs created in the U.S. over the previous 12 months. The lower-than-projected
2014 total for California is likely the product of a large, mature solar industry that is
demonstrating significantly increased labor efficiency. In addition, nearly all (96.2%) of the
54,690 solar workers in California spend 100% of their time focused on solar work
(compared with 91% at the national level).18
Table 1: California Solar Employment by Sector 2013 2015

2013

2014

2013-2014
Growth

Projected
2015

Projected
2014-2015
Growth

Installation

26,052

31,470

20.8%

36,409

15.7%

Manufacturing

10,504

10,606

1.0%

11,660

9.9%

Sales & Distribution

5,877

7,691

30.9%

9,936

29.2%

Project Developers

2,369

3,011

27.1%

3,427

13.8%

All Other

2,421

1,912

-21.0%

2,647

38.4%

Total

47,223

54,690

15.8%

64,080

17.2%

In the survey for the national and state Census 2014 reports, solar establishments were
asked about the percentage of their revenues attributed to solar. Nearly three out of five
receive all of their revenues from solar, and 78% earn at least half of their revenues from
solar activities. Firms identifying as pure-play solar establishments (100% of revenue
attributed to solar) in California increased by over ten percentage points since California
Solar Jobs Census 2013.

This means that Californias reported solar employment has a higher full-time equivalency than in other
parts of the country.
18

Figure 4: Company Revenues Attributed to Solar

80%

60%

58.5%

40%

19.5%

20%

18.6%
3.4%

0%
All of it (100%)

Most but not all (50% Less than half (1% to

to 99%)
49%)

DK/NA

As part of the 2014 Census effort, employers were asked what employment changes they
are expecting once the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) reduces to 10% for
commercial projects and is eliminated for residential installations after 2016. In California,
approximately 43% of solar employers expect to lay off staff and contractors in 2017, once
the current 30% ITC expires, which is lower than the national average (49%).
Figure 4: Investment Tax Credit Expiration Expected Employment Impact
No impact
17.4%
18.3%
3.7%

We expect to increase our

workforce in 2017
We expect to lay off staff

21.4%

We expect to lay off

subcontractors

39.1%

We expect to lay off staff

and subcontractors

10

California solar employers continue to hire people from diverse backgrounds. Hiring of
women, Hispanic/Latino, veteran, and African-American workers over the past year
increased, while a slightly lower proportion of Asian/Pacific Islanders was represented in
the California solar hires in 2014, as compared with the previous year.
Table 2: Demographics of Recent Solar Hires
2013

2014

CA Workforce19

Women

22.5%

23.7%

48.9%

Latino or Hispanic

20.2%

21.2%

29.3%

Asian or Pacific Islanders

11.7%

10.8%

14.0%

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces

6.0%

6.1%

n/a

African-American

3.9%

5.2%

6.3%

The majority (62%) of all solar systems were financed or leased as opposed to purchased
outright. This is slightly higher than the national average (57%) and also suggests the
presence of more pure-play firms in California that offer innovative financing for systems.
The following pages include detailed breakdowns by sector.
19

Economic Modeling Specialists, International, 2014.3

11

The installation sector now represents almost three-fifths (58%) of all solar employment in
California, employing 31,470 workers. This figure has risen steadily since Census 2013, with
installers adding nearly 5,500 solar workers over the time period covered by the report,
representing annual employment growth in this sector of 20.8%. California installation
firms now represent nearly one-third (32%) of all installation employment in the U.S.
Figure 5: Employment Growth, Installation Sector

36,409

40,000

31,470
30,000

26,052

20,000

10,000

0
2013

2014

2015 (Projected)

Employees spending at least 50% of their time

on solar-related work

Nearly all installation firms in California work with photovoltaic products, rising nearly
seven percentage points since Census 2013. The proportion of solar water heating installers
decreased considerably when compared to 2013, while firms working with concentrating
solar power increased slightly over the same 12 months.

12

Table 3: Solar Firms by Technology Installation

2013

2014

Photovoltaic

90.8%

97.6%

Water heating

30.3%

17.6%

Concentrating solar power

6.1%

8.3%

Other

6.1%

3.4%

Photovoltaic installers report that they primarily work on residential systems.

Approximately a quarter are involved in commercial projects, and just over 5% install
utility-scale systems (these are often subcontractors to larger project developers20).
Table 4: Solar Firms by Size of Project
Primary PV Project

Residential

68.9%

Commercial

25.9%

Utility-Scale

5.2%

A significant percentage (48%) of solar installers in California expect to lay off staff and/or
subcontractors if the ITC is not renewed. This percentage is much smaller than that
reported by installation firms at the national level where nearly 62% of companies expect
to lay off staff and/or subcontractors perhaps suggesting that market transformation
efforts seen to date will continue to pay off. However, it is important to note that the
installation sector here represents the majority of solar jobs in California, a state which in
turn represents nearly one-third of all solar employment in the U.S. Given this, even though
layoffs are expected at a smaller percentage of companies, these impacts may translate into
a larger absolute number of workers lost.

Project developers include those establishments that primarily work on the design, construction, operation,
and maintenance of large, utility-scale solar systems. This sector also includes a large portion of the industrys
workers at utilities.
20

13

Figure 6: Employment Impact of ITC Expiration Installation

20.4%

No impact
4.4%

28.5%

23.4%

23.4%

14

We expect to increase
our workforce in 2017
We expect to lay off
staff
We expect to lay off
subcontractors
We expect to lay off
staff and subcontractors

The manufacturing sector in California experienced meager growth of just under 1.0%,
adding approximately 100 jobs since Census 2013. Despite this limited growth, solar
manufacturers in the state expect to add jobs at a rate of 9.9% through 2015. This
compares to employment growth of -0.3% from 2013-2014 and a projected growth rate of
-2.3% from 2014-2015 for California manufacturers overall.21 However, California solar
manufacturers are less optimistic about growth compared to solar manufacturing firms at
the national level, which anticipate a 14.5% increase in employment over the next year.
Figure 7: Employment Growth, Manufacturing Sector
15,000

12,000

10,504

10,606

2013

2014

11,660

9,000

6,000

3,000

0
2015 (Projected)

Employees spending at least 50% of their time

on solar-related work

21

Economic Modeling Specialists, International, 2014.3

15

Similar proportions of manufacturing firms reported working with photovoltaic and solar
water heating products when compared to Census 2013. A smaller number of
manufacturing firms in California were working with concentrating solar power products
in 2014.
Table 5: Solar Firms by Technology Manufacturing
2013

2014

Photovoltaic

74.6%

77.6%

Water heating

15.3%

13.8%

Concentrating solar power

10.2%

5.2%

Other

30.5%

15.5%

Just under 45% of solar manufacturers in the state expect to lay off staff and/or
subcontractors if the ITC is not renewed.
Figure 8: Employment Impact of ITC Expiration Manufacturing

No impact

26.3%
18.4%

We expect to increase
our workforce in 2017

18.4%

We expect to lay off

staff
We expect to lay off
staff and
subcontractors

36.8%

16

Sales and Distribution employment increased by 30.9% from November 2013 to October
2014, representing an increase of over 1,800 solar workers. The sector represents the
highest growth amongst solar segments in California, and employers are expected to add a
further 2,200 workers by the fourth quarter of 2015 (a 29.2% projected growth rate).
Figure 8: Sales and Distribution Employment Growth
12,000

9,936
9,000

6,000

7,691
5,877

3,000

0
2013

2014

2015 (Projected)

Employees spending at least 50% of their time

on solar-related work

Sales and Distribution firms have a greater focus on photovoltaic systems than their
national peers. As with other solar sectors in California, fewer sales and distribution firms
report working with concentrating solar power.22
This category refers to employment locations primarily engaged in the wholesale or retail sales,
transportation, warehousing, and logistics of solar products, components and services. Note that employment
for sales offices of installation, manufacturing, other related activities would be included in this segment.
22

17

Table 6: Establishments by Technology Sales and Distribution

2013

2014

Photovoltaic

87.5%

83.7%

Water heating

15.4%

10.2%

Concentrating solar power

11.5%

4.1%

Other

5.8%

10.2%

Over half of sales firms in the state anticipate no impact from the scheduled ITC decline,
which is the highest proportion among solar sectors in California. Just over one-third
expect to lay off staff and/or subcontractors.
Figure 9: Employment Impact of ITC Expiration Sales and Distribution

11.4%

5.7%

No impact

31.4%

We expect to increase our

workforce in 2017
We expect to lay off staff

51.5%

We expect to lay off staff

and subcontractors

18

Project developers underwent healthy growth between Census 2013 and Census 2014,
increasing employment by nearly 650 workers (27.1% growth). This growth rate outpaced
the national average in this sector (24.2%) over the twelve month period. California project
development firms expect to add a further 400 jobs by October 2015.
Figure 10: Project Development Employment Growth
5,000

4,000

3,427
3,011

3,000

2,369

2,000

1,000

0
2013

2014

2015 (Projected)

Employees spending at least 50% of their time

on solar-related work

Photovoltaic projects are the primary focus of California companies in this sector. The
percentage of project developers that work with water heating and concentrating solar
power has declined since Census 2013.
19

Table 7: Establishments by Technology Project Development

2013

2014

Photovoltaic

88.9%

90.9%

Water heating

19.4%

1.8%

Concentrating solar power

33.3%

10.9%

Other

11.1%

7.3%

California project developers expect to lay off workers at a greater rate due to the
scheduled ITC expiration when compared to other solar sectors. Nearly three in five (58%)
anticipate letting go of staff and/or subcontractors in 2017.
Figure 11: Employment Impact of ITC Expiration Project Development

No impact
20.9%

4.7%

We expect to increase
our workforce in 2017
32.6%

9.3%

We expect to lay off

staff
We expect to lay off
subcontractors

32.6%

We expect to lay off

staff and
subcontractors

20

Approximately 10,450 solar workers were hired in California. Approximately 6,100 were
hired to fill newly created positions, 3,000 to replace retiring workers, and 1,350 were
existing employees that were given new solar responsibilities. This section includes
detailed findings from the survey, including profiles of these new hires.
Solar establishments in California report moderate difficulty finding the workers they need,
with 64% reporting that it is somewhat difficult to find qualified workers and 16%
reporting that it is very difficult. These findings show that employers in California are
having similar difficulty finding workers as their peers across the nation, where over 17%
report having a very difficult time attracting new talent.
Figure 12: Employer Difficulty Hiring

Very difficult

63.7%

20.4%

Somewhat difficult

Not at all difficult

15.8%

21

Sales and distribution firms in California represent the only sector with considerably fewer
firms reporting that it is very difficult finding qualified workers (12%) when compared to
sales and distribution firms nationally (20%).
Wages are higher for solar workers in California when compared to the national average.
This is likely due to the increased labor efficiency experienced by solar firms here, as well
as the states well documented high cost of living.23 California employers are likely to use
on-the-job training (78% report having formal OJT programs), and 64% report that they
value credentials for solar workers which is higher than the national average.
Table 8: Solar Wages
California

U.S.

Installer

$24.97

$24.01

Salesperson

$38.53

$36.25

Production/Assembly

$20.04

$17.60

Designer

$41.06

$36.16

Experience matters in California. When asked about the education and history of
professional experience they seek in recent hires, employers in the state reported higher
requirements (73% required experience, 22% required a bachelors degree or beyond and
7% required an associates degree or certificate) as compared to their peers across the
country (67% required experience, 21% required a bachelors degree or beyond and 6%
required an associates degree or certificate). This higher barrier to entry may also explain
the higher wages reported to be paid in California.
Table 9: Workforce Profiles

23

Difficulty hiring

OJT

Credentials

%very/some/not

%yes/no

%yes/no

California

16/64/20

78/22

64/36

United States

17/60/23

79/21

61/39

See generally, http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/dan-walters/article2582323.html

22

In addition to the statewide results, this report includes information about the distribution
of solar workers across the state. To accomplish this, the state was divided into six major
regions: Southern California (including San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties and
their outlying areas), the Inland Empire, the Central Coast, the Greater San Francisco Bay
Area (including San Jose and Silicon Valley), Greater Sacramento, and all other. The Greater
San Francisco Bay Area is home to 42.4% of the states solar workers (23,210), followed by
Southern California at 21.2% (11,570), as illustrated in Figure 14.
Figure 13: Regional Solar Employment

21.2%

Greater San Francisco Bay (23,210)

9.6%
6.2%

Southern California (11,570)

5.3%

15.3%

Inland Empire (5,253)

Greater Sacramento (3,393)

42.4%

Central Coast (2,885)

Other (8,379)

23

Figure 14: Map of Regional Solar Employment

The data also include information about each legislative district in California, including
employment and worker demographic data at the state assembly and senate district level,
as well as for federal congressional districts. These results are presented in the tables and
maps on the following pages.24

Disaggregated demographic data may not match from table to table since district boundaries do not align
within the states means and demographic percentages were applied using a regional calculation (depending
on district location within the state). Also, comparisons to last years district totals were omitted due to an
extensive outlier analysis that resulted in some employment reallocation.
24

24

Figure 15: Map of State Assembly District Employment

Table 10: State Assembly District Employment

Representative

2014
Emp.

Women

African
American

Latino/
Hispanic

Asian/
Pacific
Islander

Veterans

Members
of a
Union

Brian Dahle

896

116

24

289

34

72

Jim Wood

924

119

25

297

35

74

James Gallagher

606

78

16

195

23

49

Bill Dodd

804

104

22

259

30

65

Frank Bigelow

660

85

18

212

25

53

Beth R. Gaines

1,465

326

66

229

131

99

Kevin McCarty

820

182

37

128

73

56

Ken Cooley

801

178

36

125

71

54

Jim Cooper

308

68

14

48

27

21

10

Marc Levine

2,206

670

123

285

350

99

22

11

Jim Frazier

600

78

16

193

22

48

12

Kristin Olsen

429

55

12

138

16

35

13

Susan Talamantes Eggman

421

54

11

136

16

34

District

25

14

Susan A. Bonilla

765

232

43

99

121

34

15

Tony Thurmond

1,980

602

110

255

314

89

20

16

Catharine B. Baker

1,703

517

95

220

270

77

17

17

David Chiu

3,501

1,064

195

452

555

158

36

18

Rob Bonta

1,063

323

59

137

169

48

11

19

Philip Y. Ting

295

90

16

38

47

13

20

Bill Quirk

659

200

37

85

104

30

21

Adam C. Gray

248

32

80

20

22

Kevin Mullin

2,294

697

128

296

364

103

23

23

Jim Patterson

678

88

18

219

25

55

24

Richard S. Gordon

1,935

588

108

250

307

87

20

25

Kansen Chu

4,410

1,340

246

569

699

198

45

26

Devon Mathis

230

30

74

19

27

Nora Campos

1,051

319

59

136

167

47

11

28

Evan Low

1,348

410

75

174

214

61

14

29

Mark Stone

992

172

31

224

91

54

30

Luis A. Alejo

452

78

14

102

42

25

31

Henry T. Perea

393

51

11

127

15

32

32

Rudy Sala Jr.

352

71

17

123

23

27

23

33

Jay Obernolte

324

42

104

12

26

34

Shannon L. Grove

333

43

107

12

27

35

Katcho Achadjian

772

134

24

174

71

42

36

Tom Lackey

319

64

16

111

21

24

21

37

Das Williams

670

116

21

151

62

37

38

Scott Wilk

568

124

35

135

51

42

39

Paty Lopez

165

36

10

39

15

12

40

Marc Steinorth

264

53

13

92

17

20

17

41

Chris R. Holden

519

104

26

181

34

40

34

42

Chad Mayes

456

92

23

159

30

35

30

43

Mike Gatto

383

84

24

91

34

28

44

Jacqui Irwin

451

99

28

107

41

33

45

Matthew Dababneh

393

86

24

93

35

29

46

Adrin Nazarian

198

43

12

47

18

14

47

Cheryl R. Brown

219

44

11

76

14

17

14

48

Roger Hernandez

128

28

30

11

49

Ed Chau

218

48

13

52

20

16

50

Richard Bloom

401

88

25

95

36

29

51

Jimmy Gomez

146

32

35

13

11

52

Freddie Rodriguez

551

111

27

192

36

42

36

53

Miguel Santiago

304

66

19

72

27

22

54

Sebastian Ridley-Thomas

343

75

21

81

31

25

55

Ling Ling Chang

459

92

23

160

30

35

30

26

56

Eduardo Garcia

264

34

85

10

21

57

Ian C. Calderon

325

71

20

77

29

24

58

Cristina Garcia

128

28

30

11

59

Reginald B. Jones-Sawyer Sr.

63

14

15

60

Eric Linder

370

74

18

129

24

28

24

61

Jose Medina

542

109

27

189

36

41

35

62

Autumn R. Burke

416

91

26

99

37

30

63

Anthony Rendon

134

29

32

12

10

64

Mike A. Gipson

152

33

36

14

11

65

Young O. Kim

220

48

14

52

20

16

66

David Hadley

500

109

31

118

45

37

67

Melissa A. Melendez

457

92

23

160

30

35

30

68

Donald P. Wagner

689

150

42

163

62

50

69

Tom Daly

300

66

18

71

27

22

70

Patrick O'Donnell

179

39

11

42

16

13

71

Brian W. Jones

570

74

15

184

21

46

72

Travis Allen

401

88

25

95

36

29

73

William P. Brough

579

126

36

137

52

42

74

Matthew Harper

958

209

59

227

86

70

75

Marie Waldron

747

150

37

261

49

57

49

76

Rocky Chavez

708

155

44

167

64

52

77

Brian Maienschein

1,124

246

69

266

101

82

78

Toni G. Atkins

485

106

30

115

44

36

79

Shirley N. Weber

347

76

21

82

31

25

80

Lorena S. Gonzalez

166

36

10

39

15

12

Total

54,690

12,973

2,737

11,449

5,948

3,355

606

% Total

100.0%

23.7%

5.0%

20.9%

10.9%

6.1%

1.1%

27

Figure 16: Map of State Senate District Employment

Table 11: State Senate District Employment

Representative

2014
Emp.

Women

African
American

Latino/
Hispanic

Asian/
Pacific
Islander

Veterans

Members
of a
Union

Ted Gaines

1,410

182

38

454

53

113

Mike McGuire

1,554

201

42

501

58

125

Lois Wolk

2,636

341

71

849

99

212

Jim Nielsen

2,034

263

55

655

76

164

Cathleen Galgiani

718

93

19

231

27

58

Richard Pan

1,607

358

73

251

143

109

"Vacant"

2,595

788

145

335

411

117

26

Tom Berrylhill

1,416

183

38

456

53

114

Loni Hancock

3,455

1,050

193

446

548

155

35

10

Bob Wieckowski

4,936

1,500

275

637

783

222

50

11

Mark Leno

4,166

1,266

232

537

661

187

42

12

Anthony Cannella

268

35

86

10

22

13

Jerry Hill

3,806

1,156

212

491

604

171

39

14

Andy Vidak

627

81

17

202

24

50

District

28

15

Jim Beall

2,529

769

141

326

401

114

26

16

Jean Fuller

479

62

13

154

18

39

17

Bill Monning

1,957

339

62

442

180

108

18

Bob Hertzberg

328

72

20

78

29

24

19

Hannah-Beth Jackson

996

173

31

225

91

55

20

Connie Leyva

992

199

49

347

65

76

65

21

"Vacant"

423

85

21

148

28

32

28

22

Ed Hernandez

345

75

21

82

31

25

23

Mike Morrel

506

102

25

177

33

39

33

24

Kevin De Leon

315

69

19

75

28

23

25

Carol Liu

771

169

47

182

69

56

26

Ben Allen

904

198

56

214

81

66

27

Fran Pavley

1,147

251

71

271

103

84

28

Jeff Stone

1,267

254

63

443

83

97

83

29

Bob Huff

1,191

260

73

282

107

87

30

Holly J. Mitchell

685

150

42

162

62

50

31

Richard D. Roth

876

176

43

306

58

67

57

32

Tony Mendoza

421

92

26

100

38

31

33

Ricardo Lara

298

65

18

70

27

22

34

Janet Nguyen

707

154

43

167

63

52

35

Isadore Hall III

412

90

25

97

37

30

36

Patricia "Pat" Bates

1,303

285

80

308

117

95

37

"Vacant"

1,684

368

104

398

151

123

38

Joel Anderson

912

118

25

294

34

73

39

Marty Block

1,650

361

102

390

148

121

40

Ben Hueso

365

47

10

117

14

29

Total

54,690

12,477

2,648

11,988

5,648

3,437

512

% of Total

100.0%

22.8%

4.8%

21.9%

10.3%

6.3%

0.9%

29

Figure 17: Map of Federal Congressional District Employment

Table 12: Federal Congressional District Employment

District

Representative

2014
Emp.

Women

African
American

Latino/
Hispanic

Asian/
Pacific
Islander

Veterans

Members of
a Union

Doug LaMalfa

1,585

205

43

511

59

128

Jared Huffman

4,151

537

112

1,337

156

334

John Garamendi

880

114

24

283

33

71

Tom McClintock

1,648

213

44

531

62

133

Mike Thompson

1,040

134

28

335

39

84

Doris O. Matsui

720

160

33

113

64

49

Ami Bera

718

160

32

112

64

49

Paul Cook

843

109

23

271

32

68

Jerry McNerney

880

114

24

283

33

71

10

Jeff Denham

397

51

11

128

15

32

11

Mark DeSaulnier

2,852

866

159

368

452

128

29

12

Nancy Pelosi

3,510

1,066

196

453

557

158

36

13

Barbara Lee

1,877

570

105

242

298

84

19

14

Jackie Speier

1,930

586

108

249

306

87

20

30

15

Eric Swalwell

1,582

481

88

204

251

71

16

16

Jim Costa

1,261

163

34

406

47

101

17

Mike Honda

4,324

1,314

241

558

686

195

44

18

Anna G. Eshoo

2,583

785

144

333

410

116

26

19

Zoe Lofgren

797

242

44

103

126

36

20

Sam Farr

714

124

23

161

66

39

21

David Valadao

841

109

23

271

32

68

22

David Nunes

228

29

73

18

23

Kevin McCarthy

577

75

16

186

22

46

24

Lois Capps

2,033

353

64

459

187

112

25

Steve Knight

605

132

37

143

54

44

26

Julia Brownley

454

99

28

107

41

33

27

Judy Chu

1,126

246

69

266

101

82

28

Adam Schiff

617

135

38

146

55

45

29

Tony Cardenas

139

30

33

12

10

30

Brad Sherman

388

85

24

92

35

28

31

Pete Aguilar

186

37

65

12

14

12

32

Grace Napolitano

357

78

22

84

32

26

33

Ted Lieu

874

191

54

207

78

64

34

Xavier Becerra

360

79

22

85

32

26

35

Norma Torres

862

173

43

301

57

66

56

36

Raul Ruiz

604

121

30

211

40

46

39

37

Karen Bass

288

63

18

68

26

21

38

Linda Sanchez

386

84

24

91

35

28

39

Ed Royce

898

196

55

213

81

66

40

Lucille RoybaldAllard

87

19

21

41

Mark Takano

655

132

32

229

43

50

43

42

Ken Calvert

664

133

33

232

44

51

43

43

Maxine Waters

430

94

26

102

39

31

44

Janice Hahn

80

17

19

45

Mimi Walters

1,441

315

89

341

129

105

46

Loretta Sanchez

161

35

10

38

15

12

47

Alan Lowenthal

347

76

21

82

31

25

48

Dana Rohrabacher

498

109

31

118

45

36

49

Darrel Issa

1,436

314

88

340

129

105

50

Duncan D. Hunter

1,202

155

32

387

45

97

51

Juan Vargas

283

37

91

11

23

52

Scott Peters

967

211

59

229

87

71

53

Susan Davis

325

71

20

77

29

24

Total

54,690

12,028

2,565

12,390

5,356

3,520

420

% Total

100.0%

22.0%

4.7%

22.7%

9.8%

6.4%

0.8%

31

The California solar industry maintained its position as the national leader in annual
installed solar capacity in 2014 and is expected to have added 54% more new solar
capacity last year than in 2013. Given the strong relationship between solar capacity and
job growth, this success has made California far and away the national leader in solar
employment. The states 54,690 solar workers represent nearly one-third (31%) of total
solar employment in the U.S. and almost six times the number of workers found in either
Massachusetts or Arizona, the next two largest employers of solar workers. As in previous
years, the capacity and job growth seen in California throughout 2014 remain primarily
driven by the utility market segment (which represented nearly 80% of new solar capacity
installed during the year), but are increasingly benefiting from the results of long-term
market transformation efforts that are seeing an ever-growing percentage of new
residential installations being financed without state incentives.
With these trends expected to continue over the next two years, California solar employers
remain optimistic about job growth in the near term, predicting 17.2% job growth in 2015.
However, looking beyond 2016, when the current ITC is scheduled to be reduced to 10%
for commercial projects and eliminated completely for residential installations, California
employers are more uncertain about growth. While a smaller percentage of California solar
companies overall and installation firms in particular, anticipate the need to lay off
staff/contractors after changes in the ITC than their peers at the national level, the large
number of solar workers employed in the state suggest that layoffs at a smaller percentage
of companies here may translate into a large absolute number of workers lost.
Perhaps in recognition of this, early 2015 saw the start of a push to increase the percentage
of electricity utilities must derive from renewables over the current standard of 33% by the
year 2020 to 50% just a decade later. Should this proposed change provide an additional
source of demand for solar, solar companies and their employees may fare better than
currently expected.
For the time being though, solar job creation is benefitting people of all different
backgrounds, including women, ethnic and racial minorities, and veterans of the U.S.
Armed Forces. These jobs often require experience and provide average wages greater
than those seen at the national level.
Only continued annual reinvestigations of solar employment in California will reveal how
solar companies and workers will fare.

32

33

The California Solar Jobs Census methodology is most closely aligned with the
Bureau of Labor Statistics 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
email, 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 survey was administered to a known universe of solar employers that includes
approximately 3,000 establishments and is derived from the Solar Energy Industries
Associations National Solar Database as well as other public and private sources. Of these
establishments, 617 provided information about their solar activities (or lack thereof), and
481 submitted full or substantially completed surveys.
The California survey was also administered to a stratified, clustered, random sampling
from various industries that are potentially solar-related that include a total of 18,883
establishments in California, in conjunction with the Advanced Energy Economys
Institutes (AEEI) clean energy jobs survey in the state. After an extensive cleaning and deduplication process, a sampling plan was developed that gathered information on the level
of solar activity (including none) from 1,133 establishments. Of these, 206 establishments
qualified for and completed full surveys. This level of sampling rigor provides a margin of
error of 2.82% at a 95% confidence interval. For a fuller description of the methodology,
please see the National Solar Jobs Census 2014 available at www.tsfcensus.org.
It is of further importance to note that the figures provided in this report are estimates
based on surveys administered only to employers in installation, manufacturing, sales and
distribution, project development and other establishments in research and
development, legal services, finance and accounting, academia, government agencies,
nonprofit organizations, and other ancillary employers that do solar work. Data for the
other category do not capture all jobs or establishments in the category. Although some
other establishments are included in the known universe, accounting, legal, finance, and
other ancillary establishments spend only a very small portion of their time on solar
activities. Thus, full inclusion would lead to inflated employment counts.

34

Table 13: 2013-2015 Large Scale Solar Projects in Arizona

CA
CA

PV/
CSP
PV
PV

Anaheim

CA

Tulare County

CA

Project Name

Status

Developer

City/ County

State

Adelanto
Alpine Solar Project
Anaheim
Convention Center

Operating
Operating

SolarWorld
First Solar

Adelanto
Lancaster

Operating

Borrego Solar

Operating

Solar Project
Solutions

Atwell Island
AV Solar Ranch One
Borrego Solar
Project
California Valley
Solar Ranch
Campo Verde
Catalina Solar
Project Phase 1
Catalina
Solar Project Phase 2
Centinela Solar
(expansion)
Centinela Solar
Energy
Columbia Three

Tech.

Online
Date

Year

Capacity

c-Si
Thin-film

2014
2013

10
66

PV

c-Si

2014

2.4

PV

c-Si

2013

20

2013

115

2013

26

2013

250

2013

139

2013

110

2013

18

2014

30

2013

170
20

Operating

First Solar

Antelope Valley

CA

PV

Thin-film

Operating

NRG
Energy/SunPower

Borrego Springs

CA

PV

c-Si

Operating

SunEdison

San Luis Obispo

CA

PV

c-Si

Operating

First Solar

Imperial County

CA

PV

Thin-film

Operating

EDF Renewables

Kern County

CA

PV

Thin-film

Operating

EDF Renewables

Mojave Desert

CA

PV

Operating

LS Power

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

Operating

LS Power

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

Dec.
2014
Dec.
2012

2013
Jun.
2014
Jun.
2015

2014

Operating

Recurrent Energy

Kern County

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

Corcoran

Operating

EDF Renewables

Kings County

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

20

Desert Sunlight

Operating

Desert Center

CA

PV

Thin-film

2013

550

Gates Solar Station

Operating

First Solar
PG&E/Cupertino
Electric
NextEra Energy
Resources
LightBeam Energy,
Inc.
LightBeam Energy,
Inc.
PG&E/Cupertino
Electric

Fresno

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

20

Riverside County

CA

CSP

Parabolic
Trough

2014

125

Gridley

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

1.7

Gridley

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

2.5

Fresno

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

20

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

11

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

10

Genesis Solar Energy

Project (Phase I)
Gridley Main One
Solar
Gridley Main Two
Solar
Guernsey Solar
Station

Operating
Operating
Operating
Operating

Twentynine
Palms
Twentynine
Palms

2013

Jun.
2013
Jun.
2013

Highlander 1

Operating

SolarWorld

Highlander 2

Operating

SolarWorld

Operating

First Solar

Imperial County

CA

PV

Thin-film

2013

130

Operating

AES Solar

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

200

Operating

Recurrent Energy
8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC

Lancaster

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

20

Madera County

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

67

2013

30

2014

250

Imperial Solar
Energy Center South
Imperial Valley Solar
Project Phase 1
Kansas South

Dec.
2013
Dec.
2012

Lotus Solar Farm

Operating

McKenzie Road
Solar Farm

Operating

Recurrent Energy

Galt

CA

PV

c-Si

Mojave Solar

Operating

Abengoa

San Bernardino
County

CA

CSP

Parabolic
Trough

Operating

SunEdison

Vacaville

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

Operating

SunPower

Phoenix

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

North Bay Regional

Water Treatment
Solar Array
Phoenix Water
Treatment Solar
Farm

35

2014

Pine Tree Solar

Project
PSEG Shasta Solar
Farm (A)
PSEG Shasta Solar
Farm (B)

Operating

LADWP

Lone Pine

Operating

CA

PV

c-Si
Mar.
2014
Mar.
2014

CA

PV

CA

PV

Kings County

CA

PV

c-Si

Kern County

CA

PV

c-Si

Operating

2013

2014

1.5

2014

1.5

2013

20

2013

RE Kansas

Operating

Rio Grande
Rio Vista Water
Treament (total)
Rio Vista Water
Treatment
(expansion)
Rosamond One
Rosamond Two

Operating

Dominion
Resources
Recurrent Energy

Operating

Syncarpha Capital

Santa Clarita

CA

PV

2014

4.5

Operating

Sybac Solar

Santa Clarita

CA

PV

2014

3.5

Operating
Operating

PV
PV

c-Si
c-Si

2014
2013

20
20

Operating

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

12

SEPV9

Operating

Kern County
Kern County
Twentynine
Palms
Twentynine
Palms

CA
CA

SEPV8

Recurrent Energy
Recurrent Energy
Solar Electric
Solutions
Solar Electric
Solutions

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

Operating

Sol Orchard LLC

El Centro

CA

PV

2013

20

Operating
Operating

SunPower
Recurrent Energy

CA
CA

PV
PV

c-Si
c-Si

2014
2013

57
20

Operating

Recurrent Energy

Rosamond
Kings County
San Bernardino
County

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

18

Fresno

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

10

White River
Huron
Huron

CA
CA
CA

PV
PV
PV

c-Si
c-Si
c-Si

2013
2013
2013

20
20
10

Los Angeles

CA

2015

4.2

Irwindale

CA

2015

Antelope Valley

CA

PV

Thin-film

Lancaster

CA

PV

c-Si

Lancaster

CA

PV

c-Si

Recurrent Energy

Kern County

CA

PV

Recurrent Energy

Kern County

CA

PV

CA

PV

Sol Orchard Imperial

1
Solar Star
TA-High Desert
Victor Phelan Solar
One
West Gates Solar
Station
White River Solar

Prologis Rooftop
Solar Project
MillerCoors
Irwindale Plant Solar
Array
AV Solar Ranch One
Beautiful Energy
Beautiful Energy
Columbia 2
Columbia Solar
Cottonwood Solar*
Desert Green Solar
Farm
Desert Sunlight Solar
Farm
North Star Power 1
Quinto
RE Adams East
RE Kent South
RE Old River One
Solar

Operating
Operating
Operating

PG&E/Cupertino
Electric
Con Edison
Cupertino Electric
Cupertino Electric

Operating

Prologis

Operating

Operating
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction

First Solar
Beautiful Earth
Group
Beautiful Earth
Group

EDF Renewables

2014

2013
2013

2013

Dec.
2013
Dec.
2014

2015

230

2015

34

Dec.2014

2015

16

c-Si

2014

2014

15

c-Si

2014

2014

45

Jun.
2015

2015

24

Soitec Solar
Development LLC

Borrego Springs

CA

PV

CPV

2014

2014

6.3

First Solar

Desert Center

CA

PV

Thin-film

2015

2015

270

North Star Solar

Mendota

CA

PV

c-Si

Jun.
2015

2015

60

SunPower

Los Banos

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

110

Fresno County

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

19

Kings County

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

20

Kern County

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

20

Dominion
Resources
Dominion
Resources
Dominion
Resources

36

RE Yakima Solar
SEPV Palmdale East
Solar Gen 2
Solar Star
SolarGen 2
Desert Center Solar
Farm
Lan East (Soitec)
Lucerne
Calipatria
Redwood Solar Farm
Yolo County Solar
Farm A
Yolo County Solar
Farm A2
Yolo County Solar
Farm B
Lan West (Soitec)
CED Corcoran Solar 2
Project
Pumpjack Solar 1
Solar Star California
XIII, LLC
Wildwood Solar 1

Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Construction
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Operating
Operating
Operating
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development

Dominion
Resources
Solar Electric
Solutions

Kern County

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

20

Palmdale

CA

PV

c-Si

2015

2015

10

2014

150

2015

579

2014

150

2015

300

2014

22

2014

14

2015

20

2015

90

First Solar

El Centro

CA

PV

Thin-film

Dec.
2014

SunPower

Rosamond

CA

PV

c-Si

2015

First Solar

Dec.
2014
Sep.
2015
Oct.
2014
Mar.
2014
Jun.
2015
Jun.
2015

Calapatria

CA

PV

Desert Center,
Riverside County

CA

PV

Boulevard

CA

PV

Lucerne Valley

CA

PV

Calipatria

CA

PV

Kern County

CA

PV

Davis

CA

PV

c-Si

Jul. 2014

2014

2.5

Davis

CA

PV

c-Si

Jul. 2014

2014

2.5

Woodland

CA

PV

c-Si

Jul. 2014

2014

Boulevard

CA

PV

2014

6.5

SunEdison

Corcoran

CA

PV

2014

20

Infigen Energy

Kern

CA

PV

2014

20

Los Banos

CA

PV

2014

110

Infigen Energy

Kern

CA

PV

2014

20

2013

75

2013

20

2015

550

2014

2015

20

2014

2014

486

Amonix

8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC
SunPower/Conectiv
Energy
SunPower/Iberdrola
Renewables
SunPower/LS Power

CPV

Feb.
2014
Dec.
2014
Dec.
2014
Dec.
2014
Dec.
2014
Dec.
2013
Dec.
2013

Regulus Solar

Operating

SunPower

Kern County

CA

PV

c-Si

Antelope Solar Farm

Under
Development

Southwest Solar

Lancaster County

CA

PV

c-Si

Desert Topaz

Under
Development

Santa Margarita,
San Luis Obispo
County

CA

PV

Sierra SunTower

Operating

Antelope Valley

CA

CSP

Calipatria

CA

PV

Amonix

Torrance

CA

PV

CPV

NextEra Energy
Resources

Blythe

CA

PV

c-Si

SunEdison

Kings County

CA

PV

c-Si

2015

2015

100

First Solar

Rosamond

CA

PV

Thin-film

2015

2015

40

Sunergy World

Riverside

CA

PV

c-Si

2015

2015

20

8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC

Kern County

CA

PV

c-Si

2015

2015

20

Sempra Generation

Rosamond

CA

PV

c-Si

2015

2015

300

8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC

Kern County

CA

PV

c-Si

2015

2015

20

Seville Tallbear LLC

Little rock
Blythe Solar Power
Project: Phase I
Henrietta Solar
Project
Kingbird Solar
North Lake I
Redcrest Solar Farm
Rosamond Solar
Woodmere Solar
Farm

Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development

eSolar

37

Aug.
2015
Power
Tower

Aug.
2014
Apr.
2015
Apr.
2014
20132014

Genesis Solar Energy

Project (Phase II)
Mount Signal Solar
Farm
Topaz Solar Farm
Calexico Solar Farm
1
Calexico Solar Farm
2
Charles M. SchulzSonoma County
Airport Solar Farm

Operating
Operating
Operating
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development

Tierra Del Sol Solar

Farm

Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development

Adobe Solar

Operating

LanEast Solar Farm

LanWest Solar Farm
Marin Solar Facility
Midway Solar Farm
1
Midway Solar Farm
2
Midway Solar Farm
3
Midway Solar Farm
4
Mountain House
Solar Farm
North Lake I
Rugged Solar Farm

Ivanpah Solar
Electric Generating
System (SEGS) I
Ivanpah Solar
Electric Generating
System (SEGS) II
Ivanpah Solar
Electric Generating
System (SEGS) III
Orion Solar
California Solar Park
Calipatria Solar Farm
1
Heber Solar Project
Lost Hills
Mojave Solar Project
Community 1 Solar
Forever 21 HQs
Rooftop
Agincourt Solar
Project
Aloha Solar Energy
Project

NextEra Energy
Resources
8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC
First Solar
8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC
8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC
SunEdison
Soitec Solar
Development LLC
Soitec Solar
Development LLC
EDF Renewables
8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC
8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC
8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC
8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC
Pegasus Energy
Partners
SunPeak Power
Soitec Solar
Development LLC
Soitec Solar
Development LLC
Southern Energy
Management

Riverside County

CA

CSP

Parabolic
Trough

2014

2014

125

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

200

Carrizo Plains

CA

PV

Thin-film

2014

2014

391

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

200

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

200

Sonoma

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

20

Boulevard

CA

PV

CPV

2014

2014

22

Boulevard

CA

PV

CPV

2014

2014

Kern/Kings/Tulare

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

31

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

50

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

155

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

200

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

50

Alameda County

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

400

Riverside

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

2014

20

Boulevard

CA

PV

CPV

2014

2014

80

Borrego Springs

CA

PV

CPV

2014

2014

45

Kern County

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

2013

20

Operating

BrightSource
Energy

Barstow

CA

CSP

Power
Tower

2013

2013

126

Operating

BrightSource
Energy

Barstow

CA

CSP

Power
Tower

2013

2013

133

Operating

BrightSource
Energy

Barstow

CA

CSP

Power
Tower

2013

2013

133

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

2013

20

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

2013

100

Operating
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Operating

SunPower
Solar Energy
Initiatives Inc.
8minutenergy
Renewables, LLC

Kern County

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

2013

27

Ormat

Imperial Valley

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

2013

10

First Solar

Kern County

CA

PV

Thin-film

2013

2013

32

SunEdison

Kern County

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

2013

20

NRG Solar

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

Operating

PermaCity Solar

2015

5.1

Under
Development
Under
Development

Lincoln Renewable
Energy

Brawley
Lincoln Heaights,
LA
San Bernardino
County
Desert Hot
Springs

38

CA
CA

PV

c-Si

2013

13

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

Desert Hot Springs

Solar Farm
Elevation Solar
Expressway A
Expressway B
Frontier Solar
Marathon Solar
Project
Soda Mountain Solar
Project
Victor Mesa Linda A
Solar Project
Victor Mesa Linda B
Solar Project
Western Antelope
Blue Sky A
Western Antelope
Blue Sky B
Western Antelope
Dry Ranch

Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development
Under
Development

GDT Tek

Desert Springs

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

20

Silverado Power

Fresno

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

40

Silverado Power

Victorville

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

Silverado Power

Victorville

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

Ridgeline Energy

Stanislaus County

CA

PV

c-Si

2014

20

Lincoln Renewable
Energy

San Bernardino
County

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

25

Bechtel

Baker

CA

PV

2013

350

Silverado Power

Victorville

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

Silverado Power

Victorville

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

Silverado Power

Lancaster

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

20

Silverado Power

Los Angeles
County

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

20

Silverado Power

Lancaster

CA

PV

c-Si

2013

10

39

Unless otherwise noted, all design, text, graphics, and the selection and arrangement thereof
are Copyright February 2015 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 or to explore options for an in-depth solar jobs study for your
state/region, please contact Andrea Luecke at The Solar Foundation,
aluecke@solarfound.org.

Please cite this publication when referencing this material as California Solar Jobs Census
2014, The Solar Foundation, available at: www.TSFcensus.org.

40