Report: NY Solar Jobs Act Would Create 22,000 Jobs, $20B

A landmark solar power bill pending in the New York State legislature would create thousands of green jobs and billions of dollars in economic output for the state, according to a new report released by solar advocacy group Vote Solar.

A coalition of organizations–including Vote Solar, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Solar Alliance, the Apollo Alliance, and the Alliance for Clean Energy New York–urged state legislators to pass the Solar Industry Development and Jobs Act.

By supporting the development of enough solar to power about one million homes by 2025, this legislation would drive significant economic opportunity in the state while adding less than the price of one postage stamp to New Yorkers’ monthly energy bills, the groups say.

Highlights of the report include:

• Job Creation: 22,198 direct and induced solar jobs. Solar creates more jobs per megawatt than any other electricity resource. These are high quality local employment opportunities across a broad range of education requirements, salary levels and fields.
• Economic Output: $20 billion dollars. This includes wages, salaries and revenues that can be reinvested into the state economy, creating a significant new economic engine for New York.
• Average Residential Electric Bill Impact: $0.39 per month. Through the smart policy framework included in the Solar Jobs Act, New York can build a new solar market with minimal cost added to New Yorkers’ electricity bills.

“States from New Jersey to Arizona have proven that strong policies can and do build robust local solar energy markets. This report was intended to shed light on just what kind of economic impacts New Yorkers might expect by enacting similarly effective solar policy,” said Shaun Chapman, Director of East Coast Campaigns for Vote Solar.

To assess the size of New York’s solar opportunity, Vote Solar used the Job and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) model developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The analysis used inputs and assumptions drawn from real-world experience of New York solar installers. A strong new solar energy market would likely also support a new in-state manufacturing base and associated economic benefits, although such manufacturing development was not included in this report. This analysis used historical Public Service Commission (PSC) rate data from across all New York utilities and customer classes to extrapolate expected rate trends for the lifetime of the proposed solar legislation.

The New York Solar Industry Development and Jobs Act of 2010 (S.7093a/A.11004) provides a policy roadmap for jumpstarting a new solar industry and economy in the state. The legislation requires each New York retail electric supplier, the New York Power Authority, and the Long Island Power Authority to annually procure a certain amount of solar electricity, which represents a gradually increasing percentage of their sales through 2025. Scaled statewide, this amounts to about 5,000 megawatts (MW) of solar energy over the course of the program, which is enough to power approximately one million homes.

The bill also supports a broad diversity of business models, developers, and system sizes so that industry growth can occur in all market segments. The combination of long-term market certainty and competitive pressures means that it will enable significant solar development at the least cost to the energy consumer.

For full text of the report and additional information about the Solar
Jobs Act, visit the link below.