The citizen-based environmental advocacy organization Environment California, released a report Monday that revealed California has the most solar-related jobs in the country, with an estimated 25,000 people employed by more than 3,550 solar establishments.

The data comes from the non-profit The Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census 2011: A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce.

California leads Colorado and Arizona as the largest employer in solar-related fields, according to the report.

Colorado only employs 6,186 people in an estimated 1,020 solar establishments and Arizona has an estimated 4,786 people working in 980 solar establishments.

In addition to the California findings, the report noted that nationwide, U.S. solar companies added jobs over the last 12 months at a pace much faster than the general economy, and nas of August 2011, the U.S. solar industry has employed an estimated 100,237 solar workers, up 6.8% since August 2010.

In addition, the report projects that the solar industry will see rapid growth over the next year, increasing solar workers by almost 24 percent, or by about 24,000 jobs in 2012.

Environment California also released a list of more than 50 elected officials (see list below) that support Gov. Jerry Brown’s clean energy vision. Under the governor’s plan, California would build 12,000 megawatts of local, clean energy, which would be enough to cover a million solar roofs by 2020.

"We applaud Gov. Brown and the growing number of California leaders who are working to ensure that California continues to be a solar leader, accelerating the environmental and economic benefits of further growth in the industry," said Environment California activist Michelle Kinman in a statement.

These California officials signed the following declaration: 

"Yes! I endorse Governor Brown’s pioneering vision to build 12,000 megawatts of clean energy – enough solar energy to cover a million solar roofs—by 2020.  By building solar on houses, apartment buildings, offices, schools and warehouses across California, we can create green jobs, reduce air pollution, and generate clean energy to power our lives."