Project Amp Creates New Jobs For Solar Industry

The White House may not have solar panels on its roof yet, but it appears that warehouses all over the country will soon. The U.S. is getting serious about clean energy. Last week, the Department of Energy offered a partial loan guarantee to fund Project Amp, a program to put solar panel arrays on rooftops all over the U.S.. Along with committing to save the environment with clean energy, Project Amp will also be saving the economy. The funding for this project will create many new jobs in the San Diego solar energy industry as well.

The Department of Energy's loan for Project Amp will be for $1.4 billion and will be the biggest rooftop solar project in the U.S.. The plan is to put solar panels on the roof of 750 warehouse buildings operated by Prologis, a co-owner of Project Amp. The DOE's partial loan guarantee offer is part of the Financial Institution Partnership Program (FIPP), a stimulus plan to expedite loan guarantee for renewable energy projects that use commercial technology. According to the DOE's site, the DOE will pay the credit subsidy cost of the guarantee and provide a guarantee for 80% of the loan. The energy generated by the solar panel arrays will then be sold to utility companies.

The $1.4 billion loan is to be financed by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which will in turn amp up the economy. Since the Project Amp's span is over 28 states and last about four years, it will put about 10,000 new jobs on the market. Many positions surrounding the solar power San Diego industry will open, such as scientific research to improve the function and quality of solar panels and energy, solar power engineering, power plant operations, photovoltaic panel manufacturing and building construction. For more information about job opportunities in the rewarding field of green energy, please visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics site.