Sad Solar Stats

The Phoenix Business Journal recently praised Phoenix for boasting “one of the nation’s top clean economies” in the nation. It seems they would be better off praising Warren Buffet for getting a part time job at McDonalds.

What I mean is why is Phoenix only ranked 20^th? This beautiful city is ranked behind other cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington, and Philadelphia. And the last I checked we are one of the sunniest cities in the nation.

Want to know something even more pitiful? Phoenix added only 4,000 jobs between 2003 and 2009, ranking it 34^th in the nation.

34^TH!?!

I realize I shouldn’t be so negative since Phoenix does boast almost 23,000 jobs in the clean job sector.  Any job is a good job, right?

But I still can’t get over the fact that this is a far cry from what it should be given our prime location for clean renewable energy. In fact, the Phoenix area has the potential to power the entire state with solar energy. Not only that, but clean renewable energy brings high-paying jobs and can help stabilize our local economy and the Phoenix real estate market! This is a no-brainer and we need to take advantage of our amazing location.

Granted there have been large energy companies taking root in the Phoenix area, First Solar Inc. and Suntech Power Holdings, but it seems to be the economy that is holding other companies back.

I have a friend at a large employee placement firm who is telling me that they are placing many new employees in Arizona as renewable energy jobs are created. But, he says, we could be moving so much faster if we can just get over the economic hurdle.

“When the capital markets get going, you’re going to see the market really take off,” said Steve Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council.

Until then, write your legislator and tell them we want solar jobs today!