Massachusetts has added 3,000 new jobs just in the past year – an impressive 46 percent increase over 2013.

WASHINGTON, DC - Massachusett's continued committment to clean, solar energy is paying off, according to a just-released report by The Solar Foundation, which shows the state second only to California in solar jobs. Reacting to the news, Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), said this remarkable progress is a result of several factors:

"When it comes to creating new, clean energy jobs, Massachusetts has been a model to follow. Strong forward-looking leadership and smart public policies are paying big dividends for the state. Massachusetts has added 3,000 new jobs just in the past year – an impressive 46 percent increase over 2013 – and we look forward to working with Gov. Charlie Baker and his administration to keep this tremendous momentum going."

The 678 megawatts (MW) of solar energy currently installed in Massachusetts ranks the state 5th in the country in installed solar capacity and is enough to power 110,000 homes. Average installed residential and commercial photovoltaic system prices in Massachusetts have fallen by 10 percent in the last year. In 2013, $789 million was invested in Massachusetts to install solar for home, business and utility use. This represented a 50 percent increase over the previous year and is expected to grow again when all the numbers are in for 2014. There are currently more than 346 solar companies at work throughout the value chain in Massachusetts.