So. Lotsa solar tech jobs popping up in local job search. What's up?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I do the internet job searching for my husband, because I’m good and persistent at it. In the past six months to a year, tech-centric searches are turning up an increasing number of jobs in the solar industry. This has not happened before. What’s going on? Are solar companies flocking to Silicon Valley? Is this going to become a good solid industry to join?

2

Maybe high gas prices has sparked growth in the solar industry.

3

I’d guess this is the case. Also, MIT recently announced a discovery that will make solar much more efficient - which will make it a much more practical alternative.

I’m sure these guys aren’t the only ones working to improve the efficiency of solar.

4

There are many new developments in the work and in many countries. DARPA has several project going and Germany and South Africa have had some interesting breakthroughs. Wikipedia actually as a decent if brief summary of some of the advancing developing.

There is another ongoing thread that talks about alternate energy with some good, easy to digest details.

I was talking to my Solar Panel contractor Monday as I am now looking into Geo-Thermal Heating and Cooling and he said he was too busy to take on any more work and gave me the number of someone that just does Geo-Thermal and not Solar. It appears Solar Panel installation is really beginning to take off finally. I have heard the same thing from several other contractors.

Jim

5

Since my OP, I’ve had time to do a little research, and I see that a local business/industrial park is aggressively promoting itself as a center for solar industries. Here’s one story on it. Another story states that four solar companies have moved to this park in the last year.

My husband got a call from one of the main guys at a local solar installation place looking for an autocad drafter. This was because I had posted his resume on craigslist. Think of that - an officer of a corporation calling one for a job interview! I didn’t think that was possible.

I theorize they’re locating specifically in Silicon Valley to try to capitalize on the tech talent that exists here already. That’s good thinking - there are more than a few workers here that are tired of the endless bubble/layoff cycle of the semiconductor and biotech job scene.