How Do We Get From 4% to 45%?

Today the Biden administration released a plan to increase the amount of solar energy produced from 4% of total generation (where it is today) to 45% by 2050. That represents a lot of growth for the solar industry.

What will that growth look like? Who are the key players needed to unlock that growth? What firms will benefit most? What sort of jobs will be created and who will do them?

These are the fun questions we get to answer together. Here’s what we know:

The DOE says they will use the Clean Electricity Payment Program to incentivize utilities to build more solar and require them to take down barriers for developers and owners going solar. Electric utilities have long had mixed feelings about distributed energy generation. But we really only have two places to put all that energy: Batteries and the Grid. 

The Grid

Professionals with a deep understanding of the interconnection rules, including how transmission and distribution systems work will be better positioned to capitalize on new opportunities. They will be more effective in meetings, better able to contribute to policy and licensing conversations, better respected by regulators and inspectors. They will be among the winners.

Utility scale solar is going to do the heavy lifting as the country moves to 45% solar. Some firms will specialize in these large projects. There will be jobs managing these projects, designing them, installing them, operating and maintaining them.

If this is where you want to play, please check out these courses:

• Connecting Utility Scale Solar to Transmission & Distribution Systems (NEW)
• Utility Scale Solar Construction & Project Management
• Megawatt Design
• Utility Scale Commercial & Industrial Solar and Storage

Energy Storage

Energy storage will take us the rest of the way. There will be tons of these projects at every size – especially as the cost of batteries comes down. There will be jobs for people who understand battery systems and can learn quickly – this part of the industry is going to change really, really fast.

If this is where you want to focus, please check out these courses:

• Energy Storage Associate Boot Camp
• Comprehensive Solar + Storage
• Designing Small-Scale PV Systems with Energy Storage
• Electrical & Fire Codes for Energy Storage Systems

It’s going to be a fun ride! We can’t wait to take it with you. The fact that you’re reading this means you’re going to play a role in this major transition in our country. We look forward to learning, growing, and working with you.

Photo: Unsplash