Why Solar Power to the Planet
New technologies, declining costs, and federal incentives are setting the stage for solar to shine. As the nation’s largest source of new electricity generation, solar is creating jobs, reshoring manufacturing, and diversifying our energy portfolio to forge a path to a clean energy future.
Full Shine Ahead
The largest solar buildout in history is here. The United States is ramping up solar deployment at a record rate to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Utility-scale solar is now the nation’s energy source of choice, surpassing even traditional fossil fuel options.1
The Cheapest Source of Energy
$319
Savings per Year2
Utility-scale solar is now the cheapest source of energy. Compared with natural gas, the average American family could save $319 every year by switching to solar.
Problem
The Workforce Gap
Utility-scale solar is vast. Behind every solar power plant are hundreds of thousands of modules, trackers, piles, and cables that must be installed with precision. To successfully transition to a decarbonized grid, the industry needs to recruit new talent and equip them with the skills and technologies to accelerate solar deployment.
124,000
New hires required in utility-scale solar3
Typical Utility-Scale Solar Farm
Solution
Autonomy Bridges the Gap
Robots are field-proven force multipliers that can make the renewable energy revolution a reality. Every solar power plant requires tough, repetitive work that can take months or years to complete using traditional means and methods. With autonomy, contractors can leverage both their team’s field experience and cutting-edge AI technology to ease the pressures of a tight workforce.
Utility solar construction is ripe for disruption, and automation will be critical to get us to our clean energy goals. Automation in solar farm construction — for example pile driving — frees up skilled labor to focus on more complex tasks and increases the speed and accuracy of building power infrastructure.Tyler Parker, as quoted in ForbesGlobal Renewable EnergyBlack & Veatch
- SEIA, “Solar’s Share of New Capacity has Grown Rapidly.” (Accessed June 23, 2022).
- Lazard, “Levelized Cost Of Energy, Levelized Cost Of Storage, and Levelized Cost Of Hydrogen.” (Accessed June 23, 2022).
- SEIA, “National Solar Jobs Census 2020.” (Accessed June 23, 2022). Calculation includes projected calculations using SEIA data and projects from NREL’s Solar Future Study data.
- Numbers represent total materials and labor required for a 200 MW solar farm. Calculations are based on Built’s internal database of projects in the United States that utilize Nextracker tracking systems and First Solar PV modules.
