“The student’s really did it – they were amazing! I was really impressed with the whole Job Corp program they have going there in White Swan. We worked with the Carpenter Trainees. Tom Osborn with BPA bought the system and guided the installation. Hire provided the “Parts and Smarts”. 20 students up on the roof learning how to install rails, mount the solar modules, DC wiring, installation safety… And then down on the ground again installing the inverter and watching for the meter to spin backwards. They were really excited. I gave a talk to about 100 students about the basics or solar energy, global solar growth potential (they were pretty shocked that of the ~13,000MW of installed solar capacity globally the US only had 9% of the pie by the end of 2008), the need for trained workers, and the variety of jobs that are being created in this industry. The students were really interested and they seemed to “get” the idea that locally owned power – from a resource that comes up every day – makes more sense than relying on a diminishing commodity that you have to buy from someone else. I want to wish all the students the best of success. I truly hope that we can find the political will to actually create the jobs they are hoping for when they graduate from their programs.” – Jonathan
