As a means of fighting climate change, promoting energy independence, reducing electrical costs and benefiting the overall environment, solar energy is becoming an increasingly popular form of renewable energy. Power companies continue to construct solar farms throughout North America to power homes and businesses and more households are installing rooftop panels onto their properties.

However, for solar to truly become mainstream, there must be enough skilled professionals to install and maintain these systems. While these professionals exist today, there's a need for more — and there will continue to be a need for more as more installations take place throughout North America in the coming months and years.

In this post, we'll cover the key trends shaping the solar industry, what you can do to take advantage of the growing industry and how a Solar Technician Program can put you on a path to a successful career in solar. 

The Growing Solar Industry: What You Need to Know

Globally, solar energy is the third-largest form (only behind wind and hydroelectric power) of renewable energy, accounting for about 5.4 percent of total global energy production as of 2023. It's a form of renewable energy that's only poised to grow in the future, which reinforces the need for more skilled professionals.

The job outlook is similarly positive in Canada. The Canadian solar industry today consists of about 10,000 professionals, with an estimated 16,000 additional jobs expected to be created by 2031 in areas such as construction, manufacturing, operations, and maintenance—driven by continued market expansion and solar adoption. In the U.S., the outlook is even more dramatic. The solar industry currently employs around 261,000 people across all 50 states, and according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of solar installer jobs alone is projected to grow by 48 percent between 2023 and 2033. That translates to roughly 4,100 new jobs each year—highlighting the urgent need for a skilled and ready workforce on both sides of the border.

As we've noted, right now, there's a shortage of solar professionals and the expectation is that the workforce will not meet the increasing demand. This current shortage is leading to delays in projects, higher labor costs and other factors that are hurting the widespread adoption of solar energy. That's not likely to improve if more people don't start entering the solar industry soon.

What's more is that a career in the solar industry isn't a dead-end field. There's plenty of room for advancement and upward mobility. There's certainly job security. Yet, it's also important for the professionals of tomorrow to know some of the leading trends that are shaping the industry, which is where being properly educated and trained pays dividends. Read on to learn more about some of these trends to understand why they're so important to be informed about.

Emerging Trends Shaping Innovation in the Solar Industry

While one of the major trends shaping the solar industry is the need for skilled professionals in the sector, various other key trends continue to shape the industry. Here's a closer look at them:

• Smart solar systems: Smart solar systems incorporate real-time monitoring, optimization and the control of power generation, storage and distribution. These systems utilize a variety of technologies, such as inverters, panels and connected devices to streamline production and efficiency.
• IoT-connected panels: These panels use the Internet of Things to monitor and maintain solar energy systems. They consist of sensors and modules to connect real-time data and then transmit the data to a central platform to help solar systems run smarter and more efficiently.
• Real-time monitoring: Real-time monitoring systems allow homeowners and property owners to monitor their solar solutions up to the second. This includes tracking system performance, identifying any issues and optimizing energy usage.
• Energy Storage Integration - pairing solar power with battery storage improves energy availability and grid stability.
• Portable Solar Farms - Installing solar panels on water opens new potentially remote markets as well as enhancing energy efficiency through natural cooling from water surface

Because of these emerging trends, skilled professionals in solar need to have a thorough understanding of system design software, battery storage setup, maintenance of systems and how to troubleshoot integrated components. The qualifications today are more comprehensive than those that may have been good enough in prior years. These are all skills that can be learned by enrolling in a training program and earning a recognized credential. Those who do will gain a competitive advantage over other solar job seekers and also set themselves up for better, higher-paying positions.

Contact George Brown College for More Information

The solar workforce is changing, and there's a need for professionals who are more skilled than ever before. This underscores the need for more high-level training and education, which you can get by attending George Brown College and enrolling in our Solar Technician Program.

Learn more about our Solar Technician Programs and enroll today so you can enter the solar industry soon. Contact us today for more information at 1-888-553-5333 or by email at [email protected].