Protecting Us Abroad, Ensuring Energy Independence at Home

David Murray, Program Assistant, Energy and Transportation, New York City

Meet one of solar energy’s top advocates: the U.S. military. Whether it’s on an Air Force base in Arizona or at a U.S. Marine outpost in Afghanistan, service members know energy security is critical to our safety. That’s why I’m proud of the White House’s announcement on Thursday to create a veterans solar job training pilot. This program will connect our veteran brothers and sisters with 400 community college-based solar training institutions, helping 50,000 new solar installers join the workforce by 2020.

During their tours overseas, service members see firsthand problems caused by our reliance on fossil fuels. Fuel convoys are vulnerable targets to roadside bombs; in fact, from 2002 to 2011, 1,000 Americans were killed in fuel-related missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result, many returning veterans pursue jobs in America’s growing clean energy industry, helping our country make progress toward energy independence. Nearly one in ten solar workers is a former service member, showing the important role veterans play in the rapidly growing industry.

Take Kyle Hock, a U.S. Army civil affairs sergeant in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“During my time in the service, I gained a deep appreciation for solar power,” he noted in a Solar Foundation report. “In Iraq, I saw first hand how access to energy can either strengthen or cripple the security environment…there is a need for solar energyâ€"both at home and abroadâ€"to reduce our dependence on insecure energy sources and to make a positive change in people’s lives.”

The White House also announced new business partnerships that help ensure there are job opportunities for these veterans. 3M, Cisco, Ikea, and Walmart are among the 300 private- and public-sector entities that committed to the White House to install a grand total of 850 MW of solar power, enough electricity to power 130,000 homes. These companies are investing in solar as a means of both reducing carbon footprints and saving on long-term energy costs.

For the solar sector as a whole, more growth is expected. The price of utility-scale solar declined an astonishing 70 percent since 2008, and module prices for smaller systems dropped 15 percent in 2013. So it’s no surprise solar was the dominant new energy capacity in the first half of 2014, beating out natural gas.

Private equity and venture capital firms have also poured record investments in rooftop solar this year, on track to supply $5 billion for commercial and residential projects. As a result, the industry is hiring at a rapid pace. California-based SolarCity reported it has hired 2,900 workers this year alone, and has plans to add more as it taps new markets. The solar industry now employs 143,000 Americans, providing good-paying jobs to men and women from Arizona to Massachusetts. And it is no doubt that with the added expertise and integrity of our service members, the solar industry will continue marching toward a bright future.