The study, "Assessment of Incentives and Employment Impacts of Solar Industry Deployment," was funded by the Solar Energy Industries Association.
In it, researchers at the center, which is located at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, say solar power has followed a path to commercialization that's very similar to that followed by oil, coal and other traditional energy sources.
This path includes federal incentives. However, unlike more mature technologies that continue to receive subsidies, solar energy is currently in a very early phase of its growth trajectory, they note.
The report goes on to note every significant energy resource deployed in the U.S. today has had approximately 30 years of innovation and early adoption before beginning rapid growth that brought about mainstream adoption.
The study concludes that with continued support, the number of people employed by the nation's roughly 5,600 solar-related companies could double from is present 100,000 strong workforce by 2020.
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