The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) has issued a request for information (RFI) seeking feedback about the challenges and opportunities associated with scaling the domestic solar manufacturing workforce.

SETO is requesting input from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies and other stakeholders on job roles associated with operating U.S.-based manufacturing facilities involved in the production of:

• photovoltaic (PV) modules (including crystalline silicon and thin-film)
• semiconductor materials and components (e.g., silicon metal, polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells)
• materials used to construct PV modules (e.g., solar glass, frames, encapsulants, backsheets, etc.)
• other equipment associated with PV systems (e.g., inverters, power optimizers, racking, trackers)

SETO says the goal the RFI is to better understand the anticipated quantity, quality and accessibility of solar manufacturing roles, the required skill sets for these roles, any barriers likely to impact meeting the demand for qualified labor and potential solutions for overcoming these barriers.

Responses to the RFI must be submitted electronically to solarworkforce@ee.doe.gov no later than 5 p.m. ET on June 2.

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