The Governor’s Executive Workforce Board engages communities, state agencies and stakeholders in Ohio to identify ways to prepare Ohioans with skills needed for in-demand jobs. The mission: focus on preparing Ohioans for in-demand, quality wage jobs that give our state a strategic economic advantage.

The Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation selected Third Sun CEO and co-founder, Michelle Greenfield to sit on the board, given her positions in leadership, business education and workforce development. Along with her peers on the Board, Michelle’s role is to advise the Governor, Lt. Governor and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation about emerging workforce needs, solutions and best practices.

In addition to her role at Third Sun Solar, Michelle currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Clean Energy Credit Union (CECU) which specializes in lending nationwide for solar PV systems, electric vehicles and green home improvements. In the past, Michelle has served on several Boards of directors, including as a member and past president of Green Energy Ohio, the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, the Appalachian People’s Action Coalition, the Appalachian Development Federal Credit Union and the CECU.

How is Ohio Preparing to Carry Out the Mission of the Workforce Board?

The Workforce Board seeks to prepare Ohioans for employment through a variety of methods:

• Career credentials for High School Students
• Choose Ohio first scholarship expansion
• Supporting Ohio’s workforce
• Supporting industry sector partnerships

Additional information about the Governor’s Executive Workforce Board can be found here.

Michelle is Representing Renewables & Southeast Ohio.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “solar photovoltaic installer” is the fastest growing job in the country. Projections indicate that the position will grow 63% from 2018 to 2028 which is faster than average for all occupations. What’s creating the growth? Falling prices as the market develops and increased use of solar financing. According to the Solar Foundation, Ohio’s solar workforce grew in 2018 to reach over 7,000 jobs, making the state the seventh highest solar job supporter nationwide. Ohio has an abundant solar resource and big potential for future growth.

As industries change and employment sectors diversify, Ohio needs to think about what’s next. Solar certainly seems to be on the frontier. We, along with many of our partners in Ohio see solar employment as the antidote to a changing energy economy.

Career Opportunities

We have a whole lot of amazing staff members who have been with our company for a long time. But, as solar increases in demand, Third Sun will need new staff in all different types of positions of the company. From solar installation technicians to solar system designers to project managers – there is a lot of potential.

If you’re interested in getting involved or learning more about the skills we’re looking for, take a look at the careers page of our website.

Time To Act

Michelle is a great strategic planner –it’s what got Third Sun to where it is today. And Michelle’s voice at the table of the Governor’s Executive Workforce Board is needed as our leaders strategize to create the workforce of the future. If Ohio plans to take advantage of the job growth potential that renewable energy has to offer, we must start thinking about how to make that happen – now.

Are you ready to work for a team that is accelerating the shift to clean energy by creating solar systems, services, and solutions based on core values for the past 20 years?

About the Business

At Third Sun Solar, we are here to serve by creating business as a force for good and making the planet a better place. Our teams are serving our customers, each other, the community, and stakeholders, which ultimately shows in the genuine pride our team takes in delivering the very best solar solutions.

We are reliable. Our team is filled with dependable, honest, and reliable people. We keep our promises and strive to do it right the first time.

Our team is driven. We are passionate about solar, and that shows in every project that the Third Sun Solar team completes. The team does what it take to ensure the finest system and the best customer experience, and we take pride in our dedication in doing things right.

Third Sun Solar values growth. We have been in business for twenty years and we have a bright future ahead. Our hunger for knowledge and continuous improvement keeps us at the top of our ever-evolving industry. Our staff are on the pulse of cutting-edge solar advancements. We strive for greatness and are not satisfied with the status quo.

Not only do we operate our team with a clear mission and values, we are a certified B Corporation. That means we operate with a triple bottom line commitment to people (our employees and their families, our clients and residents of the communities where we do business), the planet (we appreciate the wonders of nature and believe that a habitable plant is worth fighting for), and profit (generating capital to keep increasing our impact and revenue to share among our team and partners).

We are a talented team of electricians, crew, project managers, engineers, finance, supply chain, permitting, and veteran community members, who are all excited about crafting beautiful solar systems to enable our communities to power their lives with clean energy.

Third Sun Solar is committed to providing our staff with competitive wages, health care benefits, travel expenses, paid holidays, vacation, and a caring, flexible, vision and value-oriented work environment.

Are you interested in joining an established team? We are hiring a Solar Operations Specialist for Athens, Ohio, and surrounding area.

Job Description & Responsibilities

The Solar Operations Specialist will be part of our Operations Team. This position requires you to be flexible in your workflow between solar installation, site audits, and service work as assigned based on current needs. Travel is required within Ohio and surrounding states.

Primary Responsibilities

• Join the installation team to build solar electric systems for residential and commercial customers. Installing solar panels and their components on roofs and ground mounted racking systems
• Perform service on solar systems to ensure they are operating to their best efficiency. This will include the coordination, communication, troubleshooting, and performing the actual service on the system. You will coordinate with the Service Manager to ensure all customer and Third Sun Solar expectations are met
• Complete site visits at commercial and residential customers, by coordinating with the customer for your arrival to complete the site visit. As part of the site visit, you will be required to gather photos, measurements, and other applicable materials to ensure that our engineering and operations teams are able to efficiently install a quality solar system
• Must always be 100% safety requirements during your work
• Maintain a clean vehicle, and a safe and clean work environment
• Communicate with all members of the team and ensure that you are exhibiting all company values

Job Qualifications

• Two years or more experience in the solar industry
• Experience working on the electrical components of a solar system
• Construction experience preferred
• Understanding and the ability to incorporate a high level of knowledge and concepts of construction and renewable energy into your daily workflow
• Must be able to climb ladders, lift +50lbs repetitively, and work on sloped roofs in all weather conditions
• Ability to read, and analyze plan sets, processes, and procedures along with the general ability to communicate and read information provided to the employee
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions, including the ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions
• Must be willing and have the ability for 2 to 4 nights of weekly overnight travel
• Must have strong customer/people relationship skills
• High School Diploma or equivalent required
• Basic computer proficiency, including the use of applications on a cell phone
• Basic math skills required
• Must have the ability to qualify for a drug and alcohol-free workplace policy including annual and random testing
• Have obtained or the ability to obtain your OSHA 30 certification
• Possess a valid driver license with a clean driving record

Work Location

• Athens, Ohio

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Flexible schedule
• IRA Retirement Account

To Apply

If you’re interested in learning more about working with us, please send us your resume and include a cover letter letting us know what you are great at and why we would be better with you on our team: [email protected]

Third Sun Solar is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against otherwise qualified applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, national origin, disability or handicap, or veteran status.

Are you ready to work for a team that is accelerating the shift to clean energy by creating solar systems, services, and solutions based on core values for the past 20 years?

About the Business

At Third Sun Solar, we are here to serve by creating business as a force for good and making the planet a better place. Our teams are serving our customers, each other, the community, and stakeholders, which ultimately shows in the genuine pride our team takes in delivering the very best solar solutions.

We are reliable. Our team is filled with dependable, honest, and reliable people. We keep our promises and strive to do it right the first time.

Our team is driven. We are passionate about solar, and that shows in every project that the Third Sun Solar team completes. The team does what it take to ensure the finest system and the best customer experience, and we take pride in our dedication in doing things right.

Third Sun Solar values growth. We have been in business for twenty years and we have a bright future ahead. Our hunger for knowledge and continuous improvement keeps us at the top of our ever-evolving industry. Our staff are on the pulse of cutting-edge solar advancements. We strive for greatness and are not satisfied with the status quo.

Not only do we operate our team with a clear mission and values, we are a certified B Corporation. That means we operate with a triple bottom line commitment to people (our employees and their families, our clients and residents of the communities where we do business), the planet (we appreciate the wonders of nature and believe that a habitable plant is worth fighting for), and profit (generating capital to keep increasing our impact and revenue to share among our team and partners).

We are a talented team of electricians, crew, project managers, engineers, finance, supply chain, permitting, and veteran community members, who are all excited about crafting beautiful solar systems to enable our communities to power their lives with clean energy.

Third Sun Solar is committed to providing our staff with competitive wages, health care benefits, travel expenses, paid holidays, vacation, and a caring, flexible, vision and value-oriented work environment.

Are you interested in joining an established team? We are hiring Crew Lead Solar Installation Technicians for our Athens Ohio office.

Job Description & Responsibilities

The Crew Lead Solar Installation Technician is a member of our Operations Team. They are primarily responsible for the leading of the installation crew and the installation and service of components of a Solar PV system in a residential or commercial setting. Travel is required within Ohio and surrounding states.

Primary Responsibilities

• Leads the installation crew to build solar electrical systems for commercial and residences
• Installs and provides service to solar electrical system
• Required to manage the time of your crew and your time to ensure that you have safely and correctly complete your work
• Communicate with all members of the team and ensure that you are exhibiting all company values
• Must always be 100% safety requirements during your work
• Maintains a clean vehicle, and a safe and clean work environment
• Train new and current installers on best practices and how to install a solar electrical system

Job Qualifications

• High School Diploma required
• At least 1 year of proven experience in a leader/supervisory role of a construction team
• At least two years construction experience preferred
• Understand basic concepts of construction and renewable energy
• Basic computer proficiency, including the use of applications on a cell phone
• Must be willing and have the ability for 2 to 4 nights of weekly overnight travel
• Must have the ability to qualify for a drug and alcohol-free work-place policy
• Must be punctual and be able to work in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to climb ladders, lift up to +50lbs repetitively, work on sloped roofs in all weather conditions
• Hold or have the ability to obtain an OSHA 30 card

Work Location

• Athens, Ohio

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Flexible schedule
• IRA Retirement Account

To Apply

If you’re interested in learning more about working with us, please send us your resume and include a cover letter letting us know what you are great at and why we would be better with you on our team: [email protected]

Third Sun Solar is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against otherwise qualified applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, national origin, disability or handicap, or veteran status.

One of the first questions we hear from folks who have heard about solar is: “how much will it cost me to have solar installed on my house?”

Have you heard something that sounds too good to be true? While some companies advertise $0 down and free at install – there is still a cost to the person buying the system. Like buying a car with a loan, you may not have to pay anything upfront or make no down payment. But you will be the owner of the solar panels and you will eventually begin making payments on the system.

There are plenty of websites around that try to help answer these questions, but they’re complicated and use a lot of industry jargon. We strive to make solar easy for you and that starts with cutting through the noise and laying it all out on the table. So let’s break it down.

So, how much does solar cost?

Our average home solar panel system costs $32,000 before any incentives are considered ($22,400 after the federal tax credit). For the typical home in Ohio, solar prices this year come in a range from about $25,000 to $40,000, on average, before the tax credit. All our systems are custom designed, so the average price is just an average.

Looking at the big picture: the price of home solar can range from $15,000 – $100,000 based on your energy usage, goals, batteries, and budget. The reason it is hard to find an easy answer to your question is because solar systems are custom designed based on several factors unique to you (more below). The best way to get an answer is to sign up for a free, no-obligation solar quote.

How do I get started?

Our Solar Consultants are ready to walk you through the options and help you calculate the economics and payback. With Smart Solar Financing, many of our clients are able to go solar for zero money down and have payments that are less than their old electric bills. Some clients treat solar as an investment with a stable and predictable return – every client is different and we look forward to helping you evaluate your options and harness the clean, free energy of the sun.

To start the free evaluation process with one of our Solar Consultants and get a more precise quote for your specific household, you can call us during regular business hours at: 877-696-7652 or you can complete our online form HERE.

 

Solar Array Cost Breakdown

1. Solar Panels – the biggest part of your solar system
2. Inverter – converts the energy generated from the solar panels (DC/ direct current) into energy that can be used by all the appliances and systems in your home (AC/ alternating current)
3. Racking – attaches the solar panels to your roof or in place and angled in your yard
4. Installation labor – our highly experienced in-house crew installs all the parts and pieces of your new clean energy power plant
5. Design, permitting and admin – as a full turnkey installer, our team designs your system and files all permits with your local utility and inspection department. We take care to ensure that your local utility does their work needed to ensure the successful commissioning of your array.
6. Other parts and pieces – nuts, bolts, wires, fuses all are all the small pieces necessary for a quality, long-lasting solar system.

Major Cost Variables

System Size

Pirce Impact: Boundless

Size is the most obvious adder when considering solar. The size of the solar system will determine the system’s cost. As your system increases in size, it will require more materials and labor which will increase the price. But due to the economy of scale, as your system gets bigger the price per watt will come down. In other words, as you add more solar the number of watts you get for each dollar you spend goes down. (more on how we size a system below)

 

Ground Mount vs. Roof Mount

Price Impact: 10% – 15%

Our typical residential solar array is mounted on the roof of a home. But, in rural areas where land is boundless and shading might be an issue on the roof, some of our customers opt for a ground-mounted solar array. Because the trenching adds more labor to the job and the racking system requires more materials the price for a ground-mounted solar array usually increases the cost of the project by about 10 – 15%. Over time, however, the added cost will be worth it. You may save more money by generating more power over the lifetime of the system.

Battery Storage

Price Impact: varies widely

Whether to increase self-consumption of solar rather than exporting it back to the grid or to have reliable power in times of power outages, batteries are exploding on the market. They are optional add on. We encourage solar shoppers to think about if solar batteries are part of their goals when going solar.

In Conclusion…

We hope this information has helped you get an understanding of the genuine cost of a solar system. Here is a summary of the most important points:

• Our average residential solar system costs ~ $32,000
• Incentives can reduce the cost of the system by 30%
• The price of solar varies widely & is based on your personal: roof space, energy goals, budget
• The best way to get an answer to your question is to get a customized solar quote