Training

Solar installers don’t spend most of their time on the roof working with the actual solar panels. Instead, a majority of their time is spent assembling, positioning, and attaching the racking systems that fix the solar panels in place.

About one out of every five residential solar systems have roofing problems caused by inexperienced solar installation companies—problems that will often lead to roof leaks over time.

Over three quarters (77.6%) of all [solar] employers cite difficulty finding candidates with any training specific to the position, and a similar number (77.9%) report difficulty finding candidates with any relevant work experience.

Construction productivity has been flat for decades… In manufacturing, by contrast, productivity has nearly doubled over the same period, and continuous improvement has been the norm.

It may take a year or two of heavy rain, but eventually an improperly installed rooftop solar mounting system will make itself known. … The costs of such a failure for the liable solar installer are more than financial.

There is no indication that the high levels of difficulty finding and hiring qualified solar workers seen today will lessen without some form of industry change.

As more companies enter the market for solar projects, competition intensifies—and profits narrow. … To maintain attractive margins, the best players will drive down the cost of building a plant faster than the industry average, allowing them to grow.