Newswise — As the solar industry booms, coal workers have the opportunity to pursue new work. Joshua Pearce, a solar researcher from Michigan Tech, wants to give them a sunnier option. Recently, he co-authored a study published in Energy Economics that assessed what it would take to retrain coal workers for the solar industry. "Although coal investors can simply call their brokers to move their money to more profitable industries, coal workers are left with pink slips and mortgages," Pearce says. "Fortunately, the solar energy industry sector is growing at an incredible rate—and they are hiring."
The results show that a relatively minor investment in retraining would allow the vast majority of coal workers to switch to solar-related positions even in the event of the elimination of the domestic coal industry. The study recommended that coalStates act now to provide options for their workers in the declining coal industry.
Pearce runs the Michigan Tech Open Sustainability Technology lab and works diligently to connect his academic research in solar photovoltaic technology to real world issues. He often collaborates with social science colleagues to assess solar energy options for businesses, rural communities and the poor.
Pearce holds a dual appointment in materials science and engineering as well as electrical and computer engineering at Michigan Technological University.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshua-pearce/solar-industry-welcomes-c_b_10602842.html
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