Towards Decarbonization: Establishing a Sustainable, Equitable, Diverse Workforce in the US Photovoltaic Industry

Decarbonizing the U.S. electric grid by 2035 and the broader U.S. economy by 2050 have been identified as targets to avoid more severe climate change effects. Photovoltaics (PV) is expected to play a major role in any decarbonization efforts, and this would involve significant expansion and development of the PV workforce. This work quantifies the size of the workforce required for high levels of PV deployment that could achieve decarbonization. The demographics of the current workforce are reviewed, and existing workforce development initiatives are reviewed with respect to the magnitude needed for decarbonization, with a focus on equity and diversity.