Wisconsin Ranks 26th In Country In Solar Jobs

The leader of a renewable energy group said there’s plenty of room to grow in Wisconsin if state legislators would approve policy changes.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates nearly 2,000 people work in Wisconsin’s solar energy industry, placing 26th nationally in terms of solar employment. The bureau’s numbers show 1,941 people work in the industry, with slightly more than half of them doing installation.

Tyler Huebner, the executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, said state law dictates that people buy solar systems instead of being able to lease them.

“That model is not prevalent in Wisconsin because our rules and regulations aren’t clear,” he said. “If they were clear, I think it really could triple or quadruple our solar market.”

Huebner said Wisconsin requires home owners to buy solar panels instead of leasing them.

“Nationally about 80 percent of the solar installations utilize leasing so that customers don’t have to put all the money up front, which can be a big expense,” he said.

Huebner said a solar system can cost the average homeowner up to $15,000.

Huebner said states that do allow leasing have much more robust solar industry employment. Most of the solar manufacturing in Wisconsin is done in the southeastern part of the state.