Solar offensive should create thousands of jobs
According to a study commissioned by the Swiss Energy Foundation (SES), the expansion of photovoltaics can make a significant contribution to job growth. This means that 14,000 new jobs can be created across Switzerland in a short period of time.
Many jobs have already been destroyed throughout Switzerland by the Corona crisis, others are in danger. The Swiss Energy Foundation ( SES ) sees the increased use of renewable energies, especially solar power, as a means of counteracting this. The SES has commissioned a study on this at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ( ZHAW ) in Wädenswil ZH. According to the press release on this, a “courageous solar offensive” can create thousands of new jobs in a short period of time. Jürg Rohrer, author of the study and head of the Renewable Energy Research Group at the ZHAW, states: "If we equip the most easily usable areas with solar systems, we need around 14,000 additional jobs." A total of 12,000 of them would be in the Installation of photovoltaic systems, which employees can carry out after only a short training period. In 2000, specialist planners required more specialist knowledge, for which, depending on their previous education, they would need around six months of further training.
The package of measures of the Energy Strategy 2050, which was adopted in a referendum in May 2017, provides for more energy efficiency and renewable energies to be used in the future energy supply. However, the implementation has so far only got off to a slow start. The SES proposal, which should also be included in the consultation on the revision of the Energy Act, should help to compensate for this deficit. Felix Nipkow, Head of Renewable Energies at SES, mentions a threefold benefit of the initiative: “Investing in solar energy now helps to achieve the climate goals, creates new jobs and strengthens the security of supply in the electricity sector.” The new Energy Act will only be able to come into force in a few years. A solar offensive would trigger investments today and create new jobs quickly. In this way, photovoltaics will become a job engine.
