Black men in solar energy installation number

Are black Americans underrepresented in solar industry?

Black Americans are widely underrepresented in the solar industry. The Solar Foundation and the Solar Energy Industries Association published a diversity report earlier this year that found that executive leadership in solar companies is almost exclusively white men.

Are black people less likely to have rooftop solar?

At the same time, residents of neighborhoods with black or Hispanic majorities are much less likely to have rooftop solar than residents in white neighborhoods, even after accounting for differences in income and home ownership rates, according to a paper published last year in the journal Nature Sustainability.

Is solar cost-shifting a problem for black communities?

The utilities’ argument is shaky at best, with little evidence that solar cost-shifting is anything more than a minor issue, but there is no escaping that black communities have not gotten a proportionate share of the benefits of solar. I’m mostly focusing on solar power today because the issues with rooftop solar are glaring.

Why do solar companies use less in black and Hispanic neighborhoods?

Among the reasons for this disparity in rooftop solar use may be that solar companies are marketing their services less in black and Hispanic neighborhoods. It doesn’t take much of a leap to see a connection between underrepresentation in the solar work force and the lower use of solar in some neighborhoods.

Why are the inequities in solar power a major concern?

The inequities in solar power are a major concern because the solar industry is likely to be an increasingly important part of our economy. If the benefits of this industry are mostly limited to people who already are in a position of privilege, this leads to justified resentment.