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Monday, Nov 9, 2026

Does solar development eliminate more U.S. jobs than it creates?

Sue Bin Park, Skeptical Science
no

Solar development creates more jobs per unit of energy than other modes of production, and projections indicate more jobs will be created by renewables than lost.

There are currently 1.84 times more jobs in solar than in coal, gas, and oil combined. Solar is relatively labor intensive, requiring workers for installation, maintenance, and project development, while fossil fuel production has become increasingly automated. Many solar jobs cannot be outsourced abroad.

A 2023 federal report predicted 3 million new solar, wind, and grid expansion jobs by 2050 in a scenario of widespread electrification, while fewer than 1 million fossil fuel jobs were projected to disappear.

The transition will require support for affected workers and communities. Research finds fossil fuel workers often have skills transferable to renewable energy jobs. However, programs supporting worker relocation and region-targeted incentives for development and manufacturing will be important for easing the transition in industry-dependent communities.

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