Solar Photovoltaic Installers

What Solar Photovoltaic Installers Do

Solar photovoltaic (PV) installers assemble, set up, and maintain rooftop or other systems that convert sunlight into energy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k46_I9_vCOU

Work Environment

Most solar panel installations are done outdoors, but PV installers sometimes work in attics and crawl spaces to connect panels to the electrical grid. Installers also must travel to jobsites.

How to Become a Solar Photovoltaic Installer

Although installers typically need a high school diploma, some take courses at a technical school or community college. Installers typically receive on-the-job training lasting up to 1 year.

Pay

The median annual wage for solar photovoltaic installers was $44,890 in May 2019.

Job Outlook

Employment of solar photovoltaic (PV) installers is projected to grow 51 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. The continued expansion and adoption of solar PV systems will result in excellent job opportunities, particularly for those who complete training courses on solar panel installation.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) installers, also known as PV installers, assemble, set up, and maintain rooftop or other systems that convert sunlight into energy.

Duties

PV installers typically do the following:

• Plan PV system configurations based on customer needs and site conditions
• Measure, cut, and assemble the support structure for solar PV panels
• Install solar modules, panels, and support structures according to building codes and standards
• Connect PV panels to the electrical system
• Apply weather sealant to equipment being installed
• Activate and test PV systems
• Perform routine PV system maintenance

At the jobsite, PV installers verify the measurements and design of the structure on which the PV system is being set up. For PV systems on flat roofs, PV installers must first add a structure that allows the PV system to be mounted at an angle. PV installers set up new systems on support structures and place PV panels or PV shingles on top of them. Once the panels are in place, they sometimes connect the panels to electrical components. After the system is in place, PV installers must test the system and its components.

PV installers use a variety of handtools and power tools, including drills, wrenches, saws, and screwdrivers, to set up PV panels and connect them to frames, wires, and support structures.

Depending on the job and state laws, PV installers may connect the solar panels to the electrical grid, although electricians sometimes do this task. Once the panels are set up, workers check the electrical systems for proper wiring, polarity, and grounding, and they also perform maintenance as needed.

Solar photovoltaic installers held about 12,000 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of solar photovoltaic installers were as follows:

Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors	35%
Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors	33
Self-employed workers	6
Utilities	5

Because photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight into electricity, most PV installation is done outdoors. Residential installers work on rooftops but also sometimes work in attics and crawl spaces to connect panels to the electrical grid. PV installers who build solar farms work at ground level.

PV installers may work alone or as part of a team. Installation of solar panels may require the help of roofers and electricians.

Injuries and Illnesses

Solar photovoltaic installers risk falls from ladders and roofs, shocks from electricity, and burns from hot equipment and materials while installing and maintaining PV systems. To reduce the risk of injury, PV installers must wear safety equipment, such as harnesses, gloves, and hard hats.

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of solar photovoltaic installers.

	Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2019
	Carpenters	Carpenters construct, repair, and install building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials.	High school diploma or equivalent	$48,330
	Masonry Workers	Masonry workers use bricks, concrete and concrete blocks, and natural and manmade stones to build structures.	See How to Become One	$46,500
	Construction Laborers and Helpers	Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.	See How to Become One	$36,000
	Electricians	Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems.	High school diploma or equivalent	$56,180
	Glaziers	Glaziers install glass in windows, skylights, and other fixtures in buildings.	High school diploma or equivalent	$44,630
	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers	Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers work on heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$48,730
	Ironworkers	Ironworkers install structural and reinforcing iron and steel to form and support buildings, bridges, and roads.	High school diploma or equivalent	$53,650
	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters install and repair piping fixtures and systems.	High school diploma or equivalent	$55,160
	Roofers	Roofers replace, repair, and install the roofs of buildings.	No formal educational credential	$42,100
	Sheet Metal Workers	Sheet metal workers fabricate or install products that are made from thin metal sheets.	High school diploma or equivalent	$50,400

For more information about accredited training programs, visit

American Solar Workforce

Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA)

Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc.

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners

NCCER

For details about apprenticeships or other training opportunities in this trade, contact the offices of the state employment service, technical colleges, the state apprenticeship agency, local photovoltaic contractors, firms that employ PV installers, or local union–management apprenticeship committees. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship program online or by phone at 877-872-5627. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to search for apprenticeship opportunities.

For more information about apprenticeships for solar photovoltaic installers, visit

IBEW–NECA Electrical Training Alliance

For career and industry resources, visit

The Solar Foundation

CareerOneStop

For a career video on PV installers, visit

Solar photovoltaic installers

Related Career Outlook Subjects

Construction

Green Jobs

Outdoors

Technology

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Solar Photovoltaic Installers