Report says solar power growing in ConnecticutSep 5 - McClatchy-Tribune Content Agency, LLC - Luther Turmelle New Haven Register, Conn.
A new study done by the research and policy arm of Environment Connecticut says the state ranked 10th in the nation for total solar power capacity per person installed in 2014. The 47-page study, "Lighting the Way III: The Top States that Helped Drive America's Solar Energy Boom in 2014," found that Connecticut had 13 watts of solar electric capacity per person installed last year. Nevada led all of the states last year with 119 watts per capita, according to the study. Chris Phelps, Environment Connecticut's state director, said the state has become a leader in solar installations because of supportive policymaking environment by the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the General Assembly. "The solar industry in Connecticut is growing to become more self sustainable," Phelps said Friday. "The subsidies for the industry are down and we have jobs in the industry that didn't exist a year ago." Phelps cited a study released earlier this year by the nonprofit energy policy group The Solar Foundation that found the industry employed 1,600 people last year in Connecticut, which ranked it 25th nationwide. Bryan Garcia, president and chief executive officer of the Connecticut Green Bank, said there has been a 70 percent reduction in state incentives to the industry even as solar energy installations in the state continue to grow. The Green Bank's job is to leverage public and private funds to drive investment in the industry and other clean energy technologies, resulting in the broader use of energy sources such as solar and wind power. "Increased private investment has enabled the market to offer lease and loan products that deliver immediate positive cash flow to consumers," Garcia said in a statement. "This makes solar a cleaner, cheaper and more reliable alternative." Phelps said new legislation signed by Malloy in 2015 with bipartisan support from the state legislature lays a foundation for continued growth of solar power and jobs created by the industry. The legislation, he said, sets a goal for Connecticut to have more than 40,000 homes running on solar power by 2022. "If we keep at this pace, we could have solar providing 20 percent of the state's generation within 10 years," he said. Mike Trahan, executive director of Solar Connecticut, a renewable energy group, said some changes are needed in order for the industry to have that level of sustained growth in the state. "The costs of installations have to come down," Trahan said. "We have installers tell us that the costs here are among some of the highest in the country." The high cost of solar installations in Connecticut is being driven by "what you have to go through to get a permit from local municipal offices," he said. "California has a streamlined process (for permitting)," Trahan said. "We tried to get that passed here, but it fell short." The cost of hooking a photovoltaic solar power system to the electric grid is another factor holding back Connecticut's solar industry. Reducing the costs of installing solar energy systems is critical because a significant federal tax credit will go away next year. That credit allows homeowners to take 30 percent of the value of the solar installation off of their federal income taxes, Trahan said. Trahan also expects state incentives for the solar industry to disappear with two to three years. Call Luther Turmelle at 203-680-9388. http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=37273630 |