The IREC Blog

The Veterans Pathways were developed under the Solar Ready Vets Network, a national solar workforce development initiative led by IREC that connects transitioning service members and veterans with training, career development resources, and jobs

A new paper, Key Decisions for Hosting Capacity Analyses, shares key lessons about a new grid mapping tool that can help utilities and states better integrate clean energy technologies on the electric grid.

IREC announced that it has merged with The Solar Foundation, welcoming The Solar Foundation’s staff and programs into a single, expanded nonprofit dedicated to the rapid adoption of clean energy.

Through the Solar Ready Vets Network, IREC is connecting service members and veterans with solar training and career pathways, and advancing the industry’s efforts to invest in military talent as part of a broader, long-term workforce development strategy.

The IREC-led SolSmart program is excited to release an updated version of the national Simplified Permit Guidelines for residential solar and battery storage.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm is challenging 60 new communities to achieve SolSmart designation in the next six months.

In 2017, Oklahoma City only issued one permit for residential solar. Yet local officials saw untapped potential for solar energy in Oklahoma’s largest metro area, and they worked with SolSmart to achieve Bronze designation that year as a stepping stone to future growth. Their predictions were well founded: Recent years have seen a surge of interest in...

This position has closed. Director of Workforce Programs Type: 100% of full-time; exemptPosition reports to: Vice President for Workforce DevelopmentSalary range: $100-110KLocation: FlexibleBenefits: Health insurance, retirement match, personal time off, flexible work schedule IREC is a nonprofit working toward a 100% clean energy future that is reliable, resilient, and equitable. Our mission is to build the foundation for rapid...

A workforce development program for high school students models how valuable career maps can be in helping students connect classroom content to future careers.

IREC's SolSmart program has released new guidance to help local officials apply an equity lens toward their plans to expand solar energy use.

While the immediate disaster has ended, far more remains to be done to build a resilient and prosperous future for this island home to more than 3 million Americans.

UNPREDICTABLEcity, part of the newest cohort of SolSmart Advisors, is working to help the entire Central Ohio region enjoy the benefits of solar energy.

In the final installment of our team features series, which highlights IREC’s staff and programs following the official merger with The Solar Foundation, we are excited to introduce the Regulatory Engagement program!

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Yochi Zakai, attorney with Shute, Mahaly, and Weinberger representing Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). The two discuss hosting capacity analysis and how publicly shared grid information can help solar developers, electric customers, and others make more informed decisions.

SolSmart Announces New Advisors and Partners! SolSmart has continued to grow rapidly since its public launch in April 2016. Over 400 municipalities, counties, and regional organizations nationwide have earned Bronze, Silver, and Gold designations for fostering the development of local solar markets.  Today, the program continues to focus on helping additional local governments tap into...

We talked with the Local Initiatives team to discuss the focus of the team’s work, projects they’re currently working on, what they like best about what they do, and why they’re excited about the merger.

The national SolSmart program has selected new Advisor organizations to provide hands-on local assistance helping communities from Idaho to Puerto Rico encourage the growth of solar energy.

IREC and partners today announced the launch of a three-year, $2.1 million project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), to reduce barriers to widespread adoption of distributed energy resources (DERs) by providing education and resources to expand the knowledge of 30,000 safety professionals.

The U.S. solar industry employed 231,474 workers in 2020, a 6.7% drop from 2019 due to pandemic restrictions and increased labor productivity, according to the National Solar Jobs Census 2020 released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), The Solar Foundation, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), and BW Research.

IREC announced today that it will host Customer Grid Edge (CGE)—a committee of experts that seeks to improve interoperability between energy service providers and customer-sited equipment including renewable energy, energy storage, and microgrids.