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Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline.
Does solar development eliminate more U.S. jobs than it creates?
Solar development creates more jobs per unit of energy than other modes of production, and projections indicate more jobs will be created by renewables than lost.
There are currently 1.84 times more jobs in solar than in coal, gas, and oil combined. Solar is relatively labor intensive, requiring workers for installation, maintenance, and project development, while fossil fuel production has become increasingly automated. Many solar jobs cannot be outsourced abroad.
A 2023 federal report predicted 3 million new solar, wind, and grid expansion jobs by 2050 in a scenario of widespread electrification, while fewer than 1 million fossil fuel jobs were projected to disappear.
The transition will require support for affected workers and communities. Research finds fossil fuel workers often have skills transferable to renewable energy jobs. However, programs supporting worker relocation and region-targeted incentives for development and manufacturing will be important for easing the transition in industry-dependent communities.
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This fact brief is responsive to quotes such as this one.
Sources
EFI Foundation Wages, Benefits, and Change
U.S. Global Change Research Program Fifth National Climate Assessment
U.S. Department of Energy UNITED STATES ENERGY & EMPLOYMENT REPORT 2023
IREC Solar Jobs Census
World Economic Forum How can fossil fuel workers be supported in transitioning to green jobs?
World Resources Institute Steps to Aid US Fossil Fuel Workers in the Clean Energy Transition
Columbia Law School Sabin Center for Climate Change Law Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer "yes/no" answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact — a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all of our published fact briefs here.
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