85,500 Solar Jobs Possible in Florida:
By Susan Salisbury

Harnessing solar energy in the Sunshine State has always seemed to make a lot of sense. Well, now a grass-roots group wants to put that to the test.
The San Francisco-based The Vote Solar Initiative, focused on advancing solar energy development in the U.S., estimates that 85,500 jobs -- from construction to engineering to marketing -- could be created if Florida adopts a proposed requirement that 20 percent of the state's electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020.
By May, the Florida Legislature is expected to consider the 20 percent renewable standard recommended by the Florida Public Service Commission. Now, about 2 percent of the state's energy comes from renewable sources.
Gwen Rose, deputy director of The Vote Solar Initiative, said the jobs estimate comes from a study by Navigant Consulting that showed more than 3,800 megawatts of solar power could be generated if the state goes to the 20 percent standard. According to Navigant, with each megawatt yielding 15 to 30 direct jobs, that translates into 57,000 to 114,000 direct jobs -- 85,500 is the mid-range.
Today, Vote Solar placed a job listing in the Classifieds section of newspapers around the state, including The Palm Beach Post, stating: "HELP WANTED: 85,000 electricians, engineers, sales to staff the new solar energy economy. Apply at Legislature. Ask for strong solar energy policies." "The nice thing about solar is that it is flexible, modular and quick to market," Rose said. "You get projects in on the ground really fast. If the renewable portfolio standard passes and the rules are in place, you could see development really accelerate by 2010." She said solar is flexible because solar power plants can be large enough to power a community, or small enough to be installed on the rooftops of a house.
Indeed, several South Florida companies are finding a market in rooftop photovoltaic power systems, as well as the more typical solar hot water and pool heaters.
Yann Brandt, vice president of Advanced Green Technologies in Fort Lauderdale, said a typical residential solar power system costs from $30,000 to $40,000 to install, but that the homeowner receives $25,000 to $30,000 in federal tax incentives and state rebates. Among the company's projects were 26-kilowatt systems at the Publix Super Markets Greenwise stores in Boca Raton and Palm Beach Gardens.
"Solar is the infrastructure project of the 21st century. ... It offers us the most shovel-ready projects of all," Brandt said. "We have the roof space and solar is readily available." Brian Betron agreed. The solar energy consultant for Jupiter-based Abundant Energy said the company recently installed the town's first photovoltaic system.
For Jupiter homeowners Brian and Emily O'Mahoney, having the system installed about a month ago was all about being green. Emily O'Mahoney, a landscape architect, is LEED certified.
"We calculated it for a size where it should offset our electrical usage completely," Brian O'Mahoney said. "I don't actually believe that will happen. (But) it will definitely save us quite a bit." Betron agrees that the solar industry would be boosted if the state adopted the 20 percent standard.
"There is so much potential here in the state of Florida," he said "For just the residential facilities, or homes, only half of 1 percent have any type of solar installed."