SOLAR INSTALLER IS THE FASTEST GROWING JOB IN EIGHT STATES

A solar panel installer is the fastest-growing job in eight different states, including California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina, Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey. The role is also known as a “PV installer,” and “assembles, installs, and maintains solar panel systems on rooftops or other structures.”

In 2017, the occupation saw a median pay of $18.98 per hour, or $39,490 per year. It’s projected to grow 105% by 2026, which is significantly faster than the national rate.

For the rest of the story visit : https://finance.yahoo.com/news/available-jobs-us-143220860.html

Wisconsin's largest rooftop solar energy installation goes online- Gov. Evers declares ‘Madison College Solar Energy Day’

MADISON, Wis. – Madison College marked the completion of Wisconsin’s largest rooftop solar energy installation today in a ceremony attended by Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Madison Gas and Electric Co. Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Keebler, renewable energy industry representatives and local dignitaries.

In the gubernatorial proclamation read by Barnes, Gov. Tony Evers declared Jan. 16 “Madison College Solar Energy Day.”

“Today, Madison College affirms our long-standing commitment to preserving our natural resources, applying innovative thinking to meet employer demand for workers in an ever-growing industry and harnessing a renewable source of energy for the good of the whole and the benefit of future generations,” said Dr. Jack E. Daniels, III, president of Madison College.

The solar array contains 5,700 solar panels and covers 125,000 square feet of the roof of the Truax Campus’ main building. On sunny days, the system will produce 100 percent of the building’s energy demand for up to three hours. It will save the campus more than $200,000 per year.

“This array will not only serve the College with clean power, but it will serve as a valuable educational tool for scores of students who will be able to interact with the system on-site, and that is incredibly exciting,” said Keebler.

MGE provided a $500,000 grant toward building the 1,400-kW solar photovoltaic system. Madison College covered the remaining $2.5 million cost from capital budget funds.

The installation will save energy and reduce airborne emissions for local residents. In addition to cost savings, the PV system will provide a hands-on laboratory for Madison College students studying renewable energy and related fields such as Architecture, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Maintenance and Construction and Apprenticeship programs.

The installation includes monitoring technology to provide output data for analysis by students
and the public.

For more information about the Renewable Energy program at Madison College visit https://madisoncollege.edu/program/renewable-energy.

Costs Continue to Decline for Residential and Commercial Photovoltaics in 2018

NREL.gov
Costs Fall for Residential and Commercial Standalone PV

Specifically, the Q1 PV cost benchmarks are $2.70 per watt of direct current (Wdc) for residential systems (a 4.9 percent cost decline), $1.83 per Wdc for commercial systems (a 2.6 percent decrease), $1.06 per Wdc for fixed-tilt utility-scale systems (a 1.9 percent increase), and $1.13 per Wdc for one-axis-tracking utility-scale systems (a 0.9 percent increase).

“Higher-voltage inverter designs, lower inverter prices, and higher module efficiencies contributed to cost reductions,” said Ran Fu, who authored the report with fellow NREL researchers David Feldman, Mike Woodhouse, and Robert Margolis. On the other hand, higher module prices, higher labor wages, and higher steel prices raised costs. In the utility sector, where PV modules represent a larger portion of overall project costs, increased module prices helped to drive the slight increase in installed solar costs.

For the rest of the story visit : https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2018/costs-continue-to-decline-for-residential-and-commercial-photovoltaics-in-2018.html

Webinar - December 19th, 12PM EST - Understanding Energy Storage

Learn about the power of solar energy storage for your home and school with Corey Ramsden, VP of United Solar Neighbors' Go Solar Programs. The presentation will take a consumer's perspective on how the technology works, what the economics look like for homeowners, and how large, grid-scale storage is beginning to impact your utility and the power industry as a whole.

For additional information and to register visit:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7764804287164918796?utm_campaign=Core%20-%20EmailList&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9ZBndLAm_WiHArb7BWVRRYhVT0swCpknk4-UzlG7j3DaLoCmnY9OZkbjVZ-8VOyqGsiq6GbUbBLu-QFGGavsY5F_yaZA&_hsmi=68158161&utm_content=68158161&utm_source=hs_email&hsCtaTracking=85c4f671-97a3-4b54-a531-3392ba1818db%7Cb401bb37-2403-4001-a426-7bc8c1d58a88