Over the past several decades, people have slowly started to show an increasing interest in renewable energy. Human activity has taken its toll on nature, and the climate changes certainly testify to that: for this reason, we have tried to replace the traditional energy sources based on fossil materials with modern and renewable sources, such as the solar or wind power. Here are the top three most notable reasons why solar energy is one of the hottest and most lucrative industries in America:
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At first, solar panels had such hefty price tags that only a very select group of people could afford having them installed. However, once the technology has been improved and the panels became readily available, the prices slowly started to decrease. Today, every homeowner can afford having a solar system installed: besides lowering their energy bills, these systems also help them get a positive ROI (return on investment) within several years. According to statistics, the median cost of residential solar has decreased by two thirds over the past 15 years (from $12/watt in 1998 to only $4.7/watt in 2013), and this happened mainly because of the lowered costs of making the hardware pieces for the solar photovoltaic system. Although at the time being, China and India are the leading countries in the solar energy industry, as they offer the best price-value ratio, America has already entered the competition as well.
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Solar Energy Is Reliable, Secure And It Guarantees Energetic Independence
Another important reason why solar energy is one of the hottest industries in the United States is because it stands out through three important factors: security, independence as well as reliability. Solar energy is extremely cheap, and the sun will rise and set day after day, which means that the future of solar energy can be easily predicted. Moreover, solar energy is a very secure and safe renewable source, as nobody can “own”, thus allowing homeowners to achieve the energy independence they have been aiming for. Solar energy can benefit not just residential homes, but also commercial and industrial buildings on a larger scale.
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Solar Power Creates Jobs
Lastly, it is safe to say that solar energy does help the economy in the United States by creating more jobs. Although there is no official employment data available, the Solar Foundation has estimated that in 2010 there were no less than 93,000 workers (engineers, construction workers, manufacturing plant employees, solar photovoltaic installers, electricians or scientists) who work in the solar power industry.
Scientists (chemical, material and electrical engineers in particular) are amongst the most important ones in the solar energy industry, as they are actively involved in the research and development of new and efficient materials, as well as in improving the existing technology. Also, the solar industry was one of the fields with the largest employment growth in the United States back in 2011, and the job prospects are certainly encouraging for those who want to pursue lucrative careers as electricians, photovoltaic instructors, mechanical engineers or industrial engineers in this specific niche.
