The U.S Has More Solar Workers Than Coal Miners

[jon_berzerk]

The U.S Has More Solar Workers Than Coal Miners

Though solar power is still far from surpassing coal as America’s primary energy source, the number of people employed by the solar industry has surpassed the number of coal miners. The non-profit Solar Foundation estimates that there are about 142,000 people in the U.S. workforce who spend “at least 50% of their time supporting solar-related activities,” according to Business Insider.

So what does this mean for the future of energy in America? Quite simply put, it highlights how solar power is growing at a rapid pace, with record-breaking 43 GWH estimated to be installed around the world this year, and the U.S. is estimated to make up about 6.6 GWH of those new installations. Other nations, including China and India, are investing even more heavily into solar though, and the race is on to make clean energy a cornerstone of every economy.

Meanwhile, the EPA is putting pressure on coal power plants to either clean up their act, or convert to natural gas power. This has sent coal mining employment plummeting in the past few decades, though the industry maintains a ruthless grip on many politicians on both the local and national level. Also, when you factor in every aspect of coal production and transportation, the fossil fuel industry still dwarfs solar power.

The tide is slowly changing in favor of solar power though, and as more Americans become employed by the solar industry, opposition is likely to decrease while interest is only going to increase. It might be a good time to make some choice investments in the solar industry, as it looks set to only continue to grow.

The U.S Has More Solar Workers Than Coal Miners | CleanTechnica

well yeah

when you cut the legs off the coal industry

that is bound to happen

 

[Skull Pilot]

What horse shit

Why? Solar employs more workers than coal! That isn't a bad thing.

It seems to me that fewer coal industry employees can produce more power than a larger number of solar industry employees.

Why is more people producing less power a good thing?

 

[jon_berzerk]

What horse shit

Why? Solar employs more workers than coal! That isn't a bad thing.

the stickler in the article

The non-profit Solar Foundation estimates that there are about 142,000 people in the U.S. workforce who spend “at least 50% of their time supporting solar-related activities,”

if one looks at the number of directly and indirectly jobs because of coal

is over a million

 

[jon_berzerk]

What horse shit

Why? Solar employs more workers than coal! That isn't a bad thing.

It seems to me that fewer coal industry employees can produce more power than a larger number of solar industry employees.

Why is more people producing less power a good thing?

as a production of energy

solar is very inefficient

compared to coal

 

[Two Thumbs]

yea!!!!!!!

fyi; The unemployment rolls are full of unemployed coal miners.

go fuck yourselves, slowly and painfully.

says someone who...yet again...is probably using a coal derived product and can't be bothered with the courage of their convictions, or taking responsibility for the demand they help create for the product being besmirched.

english not your first language?

 

[RGR]

Ummmm, I hate to point out the obvious...but TT supports the coal miners...

Generally that isn't the position of someone cheerleading their unemployment, and suggesting they have carnal knowledge with themselves.

All from a position undoubtedly achieved through the use of coal or its knock on products. A common position among those who object to basically all power generation mechanisms, and one they seem to miss every time they open their mouths...never figured that one out...

 

[GHook93]

Let me get this straight. Coal produces nearly 50% of our stationary energy needs (petroleum producing nearly 100% of mobile energy, but that's a different conversation). Solar produces a fraction of the 2.4% other. My guess is something like 0.5% of our energy (and that is probably well too high). Yet the labor cost exceed coal (and natural gas)! Am I getting this straight?

I am all for exploring new resources, but let's be honest. Solar is light years from being a player in the energy source industry.

 

[RGR]

english not your first language?

Logical thought not required anywhere along your path in life?

Not a surprise I suppose...what with public education in America and all..and what the internet has done for any requirement of thinking for oneself.

 

[Moonglow]

Nothing wrong with public schools, learning is more than just going to school and turning off your mind after riding home on the bus..If people are failing in intelligence it is their fault, not the fault of others..
I don't see private schools putting out geniuses at a 100% rate.

 

[westwall]

Ummmm, I hate to point out the obvious...but TT supports the coal miners...

Generally that isn't the position of someone cheerleading their unemployment, and suggesting they have carnal knowledge with themselves.

All from a position undoubtedly achieved through the use of coal or its knock on products. A common position among those who object to basically all power generation mechanisms, and one they seem to miss every time they open their mouths...never figured that one out...

I think you just didn't bother to read the post correctly. It was clearly sarcastic.

 

[westwall]

english not your first language?

Logical thought not required anywhere along your path in life?

Not a surprise I suppose...what with public education in America and all..and what the internet has done for any requirement of thinking for oneself.

I hope you're looking in the mirror there bucko, 'cause it's you who is wrong. TT is pretty obviously a supporter of the fossil fuel industry. Your proper response would have been, "oh, I misinterpreted what you were saying, and yes solar sucks". Instead you have merely dug yourself in deeper.

I suggest you use this as a learning opportunity...

 

[westwall]

Nothing wrong with public schools, learning is more than just going to school and turning off your mind after riding home on the bus..If people are failing in intelligence it is their fault, not the fault of others..
I don't see private schools putting out geniuses at a 100% rate.

Schools don't "create" geniuses. They just "are". Schools teach the rest of us normal types and private schools do a better job, with far less money than public schools. The school that my daughter attends is 3,800 per year as opposed to the Public schools which get 7,800 per student.

The college attendance rate (4 year college, not community...not that there's anything wrong with them) is 100% with a graduation rate in the 90th percentile. The public schools rate is below 60% graduating high school.

 

[RGR]

I suggest you use this as a learning opportunity...

Sure. Here is what TT said:

yea!!!!!!!

fyi; The unemployment rolls are full of unemployed coal miners.

go fuck yourselves, slowly and painfully.

So....he is happy. (yea!!!)

Then he notes that there are unemployed coal miners. I haven't checked his facts, but this statement seems reasonable.

And then he recommends that...someone?.....the coal miners...? ....go fuck themselves...and it should be unpleasant.

Now...having referred to the unemployed coal miners as the topic in the prior sentence, you are saying he really wasn't referring to them to be unpleasantly fucking themselves? But some, not specified group?

Well...certainly it would have been better if he had mentioned the group he thought should be NOT enjoying carnal knowledge with themselves...but he only included the coal miners in the post. Doesn't that make it difficult to assign the carnal knowledge to just anyone else on a random basis?

 

[RGR]

I think you just didn't bother to read the post correctly. It was clearly sarcastic.

Sarcasm...like beauty...is in the eye of the beholder...particularly when there is no body language to read. Isn't there an internet rule of some sort to put sarcastic stuff in purple so folks can get it, versus not getting it and figuring someone actually meant what they said?

 

[RGR]

Solar Power - what a fucking disaster.
Seriously. It's wrong in so many ways.

Prove it!

Easy enough. Let us know when it can play with the big boys of renewables...let alone with the REAL power producers in the US. Doesn't look so good so far.

 

[RGR]

Since you've made this investment - how's it working out in your home?

Mine came with the house. Didn't appear to change the price by the 6 figures you mentioned. No batteries either. Clean them off on occasion. Nothing more. And they've been there for at least 15 years, and certainly don't operate like they are about to turn into impending junk.

 

[Warrior102]

Since you've made this investment - how's it working out in your home?

Mine came with the house. Didn't appear to change the price by the 6 figures you mentioned. No batteries either. Clean them off on occasion. Nothing more. And they've been there for at least 15 years, and certainly don't operate like they are about to turn into impending junk.

If your system is 15+ years old - you're heating water.
You sure as shit aren't off the grid - powering the whole home - on that antiquated junk system you have.

Is your computer 15 years old too? How's that working out? Do you drive a 15+ year old car, numbnuts?

Go price a off-grid home system today - dumbass.

You're in over over six-digits.

That's a fact.

Call your local "solar" guy out and ask for an estimate. Short of that.... STFU.

 

[RGR]

Nothing wrong with public schools, learning is more than just going to school and turning off your mind after riding home on the bus..If people are failing in intelligence it is their fault, not the fault of others..
I don't see private schools putting out geniuses at a 100% rate.

Public schools are mostly a disaster. Which doesn't meant that private schools crank out geniuses.

And the problem isn't intelligence, it is the difference between rote learning and teaching people to think. We do way too much of one, and not near enough of the other.

Saw this myself personally once, when I reentered college after my single industry layoff. Took all the teaching courses to get my certificate that are taken immediately before new teachers do their student teaching semester, prior to becoming full blown teachers themselves.

That was back in the 90's, and it was already a disaster.

Full disclosure: Mom was a public school teacher for her entire professional life, I think she may have had her PhD by the time she retired. Tried, true and blue union.

Dad was a coal miner. Union.

Teaching looking interesting...until you were involved in it. First phone call I got from Canada to come drill horizontal wells near Lesser Slave Lake and I was outta there like a rifleshot.

 

[RGR]

Your proper response would have been, "oh, I misinterpreted what you were saying, and yes solar sucks". Instead you have merely dug yourself in deeper.

Why in the world would I say solar sucks? Have to fuel my car somehow, and doing it with the panels is sure better than paying out hard earned dollars at the local extortion store, plus it contributes to my overall "Buy American!" attitude, when possible.

American fuels for our cars I say...be it generated on our rooftops or the clean burning natural gas from the shale gas fields of America.

 

[RGR]

Since you've made this investment - how's it working out in your home?

Mine came with the house. Didn't appear to change the price by the 6 figures you mentioned. No batteries either. Clean them off on occasion. Nothing more. And they've been there for at least 15 years, and certainly don't operate like they are about to turn into impending junk.

If your system is 15+ years old - you're heating water.

You mean...except for when it puts power into the house wiring? Should I require my car to give back all the power it has collected from the panels?

I've got natural gas for my hot water.

You sure as shit aren't off the grid - powering the whole home - on that antiquated junk system you have.

Well, it certainly isn't state of the art. And certainly I have no intention of using it to be off-grid...suburbia is far superior to off grid when it comes to quality of life...but it comes in handy helping to fuel the car! But really, when the point is to mitigate cost, save the world, be eco-friendly, what, you are going to be an ECO-SNOB!!! All because I don't have state of the art world saving renewables helping to run the house!

How mean!

Is your computer 15 years old too? How's that working out? Do you drive a 15+ year old car, numbnuts?

My computer is a year old. And uses far less electricity than it once did, and this is good! And my car is a Volt, so obviously it isn't 15 years old, otherwise it would be difficult to fuel from those solar panels!

Go price a off-grid home system today - dumbass.

Why? I have no need to be off grid. Quality of life matters, remember? I was raised on a farm, and there is a reason I escaped that environment the instant I graduated high school. And that qualifies me as far smarter than "dumbass"....

You're in over over six-digits.

That's a fact.

Call your local "solar" guy out and ask for an estimate. Short of that.... STFU.

So what you really meant was "if you are so stupid as to buy a full markup off grid cadillac system you'll pay 6 figures" versus those of us who buy systems for what we need, use them that way, and laugh all the way to bank?

Thank you for supporting your full markup solar companies afloat by pimping overkill, but those of us who specialize in optimizing for need certainly don't consider that an advantage of any kind. But please, cater to dumbass, no reason they can't help save the planet just like me! And support our local economy in providing plentiful fuels for our cars!