US Department of Energy to provide US$32 million for solar workforce training, innovation

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  US$15 million will be used to help fund projects used to develop new designs for CSP collectors. Image: Martin Abegglen/Flickr

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has set aside US$32 million in funding in order to help build up the US solar market by training workers and spurring new innovations within the industry.

The DOE is providing up to US$12 million in order to grow a diverse and experienced workforce, including individuals in insurance, real estate and utility sectors. This missions falls in line with President Barack Obama’s goal of training 75,000 solar workers by 2020.

US$5 million will be used to fund projects focused on growing market transparency and access to solar energy datasets, while US$15 million will be allocated to help fund projects to develop new designs for concentrating solar power (CSP) collectors.

Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Deputy Secretary of Energy, said: “Last year, a new solar energy project was installed every two and a half minutes in the United States. “To ensure the continued growth of the U.S. solar industry and our clean energy economy, it is critical that we support workforce training programs that will give American workers the skills they need for well-paying jobs and also make sure American consumers have access to highly-trained, credentialed professionals when they choose solar to power their daily lives.”