It’s no secret that solar energy solutions are beneficial to the environment and enable homeowners to drastically cut costs on their monthly utility bills. But, according to new research from The Solar Foundation (TSF) – a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that uses education, research and market transformation to increase the use of solar power worldwide – embracing this form of renewable electricity has also helped create a significant number of jobs across the United States.

TSF recently released its State Solar Jobs map, an interactive platform that reveals information about which states are leading the country in solar-related employment. The data shows that California has the most solar jobs in the nation, followed by Arizona, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. TSF states that solar energy employees in the Golden State – of which there are approximately 43,700 – currently outnumber actors.

Nationwide, there are about 119,000 workers in the solar industry, says CNN Money. TSF research indicates that nearly half of these individuals install panels while one-quarter manufacture them and the rest do development, sales and marketing.

“We are anticipating that solar jobs are going to continue to increase at the national level,” said Andrea Luecke, TSF’s executive director, according to an article by VentureBeat. “These jobs figures demonstrate that the U.S. solar industry remains a powerful source of local job creation.”

If you live in the Bay Area and you’re interested in learning more about residential solar energy solutions, you may want to consider contacting West Coast Solar to see which options are available to you. Not only is this eco-friendly upgrade good for the environment, but it will also save you money each month on your utility bills.