Photovoltaic energy storage job classification table

Do solar power plants require more workers than photovoltaic plants?

Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants require more workers than photovoltaic plants; photovoltaic plants can sometimes even be run remotely. Power plant operators monitor power generation and distribution from control rooms at power plants.

What is the difference between a CSP and a photovoltaic plant?

CSP plants are more like typical power plants and require incorporating large steam turbines and storage tanks, plus a large, flat area for the solar array. Photovoltaic plants are less complex, but are a challenge for engineers to design because the panels are optimally configured to efficiently harvest solar power.

What skills does a solar photovoltaic installer need?

Solar photovoltaic installers must be able to work with power tools and hand tools at great heights, and possess in-depth knowledge of electrical wiring as well as basic math skills. When necessary, installers must be problem solvers, able to repair damaged systems or replace malfunctioning components.

How does solar photovoltaic manufacturing work?

In the United States, solar photovoltaic manufacturing is highly automated. Machines do the majority of work: cutting semiconducting materials, such as crystalline silicon, into wafers, turning them into solar cells, and assembling the solar cells into solar panels.

How do roofers become solar photovoltaic installers?

Many roofers in the solar industry educate themselves through additional training, or they gain experience to become solar photovoltaic installers. The following table shows BLS data for selected occupations in the Construction of Buildings industry group for May 2010.

What does a solar photovoltaic installer do?

They are responsible for safely attaching the panels to the roofs of houses or other buildings and ensuring that the systems work. Solar photovoltaic installers must be able to work with power tools and hand tools at great heights, and possess in-depth knowledge of electrical wiring as well as basic math skills.