Bright Futures in Solar
Introduction
The Canadian solar industry consists of two main segments:
The photovoltaic (PV)segment uses technology (usually a solar panel) to convert energy from the sun directly into electricity. The main PV applications today in Canada are in the off-grid, non-residential market, e.g., water pumping, navigational aids, roadside emergency telephones, etc. This is followed by the off-grid residential market, which includes powering of remote homes and cottages, recreational vehicles, etc. Recently, there has been an increase in the on-grid distributed market for systems installed on homes and commercial buildings that are grid connected.
The solar thermal (ST) segment uses technology for harnessing solar energy for thermal energy (heat). Typical ST applications include solar hot
water heating, solar air heating and cooling, and solar pool heating.
A positive labour forecast
In late 2008, the Electricity Sector Council (ESC) in partnership with the Canadian Solar Industries Association
(CanSIA) commissioned the Labour Force Survey of the Canadian Solar Industry. The survey shows the highest growth rates are expected to fall into four job functions - project management (178 per cent), installation (146 per cent), sales (120 per cent) and manufacturing (107 per cent).
Resources
If you are looking for a career in solar industry visit the links below for further information on career profiles, industry employers and training and educational instutions.
