NJ SRECs Key to Solar Success, But "Green" Jobs Still Few

While New Jersey now generates over 100MW of solar electricity, the rapid growth in installations has not been matched by a proliferation of "green" jobs. The New York Times details the factors at play in the success of solar power generation in the Garden State, as well as the reasons why the prospect of more jobs remains elusive.

But New Jersey also stands out among solar states for its absence of solar-equipment manufacturing. With no major photovoltaic factories, the state must import most equipment from abroad or from other states. And while "green jobs" are being created in New Jersey, the numbers are not what is expected from the nation's No. 2 solar state.

"New Jersey practically has a nonexistent industry," said Shihab Kuran, CEO of Petra Solar of South Plainfield, N.J.

Kuran's company recently landed a $200 million contract to supply New Jersey's largest electric utility with some 200,000 pole-mounted solar units over the next three and a half years. His work force has almost tripled since March, but he still has fewer than 60 employees, as Petra Solar uses utility PSE&G's line workers to do most installations.

While Kuran says his business model shows him adding more employees, as is expected from other manufacturers in the state, Advanced Solar Products Inc., Aten Solar and Sun Farm Ventures.

But with costs for real estate and labor among the highest in the nation, New Jersey is quickly finding that there are limits to how many green jobs it can create.