Solar Energy in the US

The State of California recently passed and is now implementing a new rule mandating solar panels on new construction. Some of our customers have been asking if laws like that are in their state’s future as well.

The simple answer is: probably not. Mandates like California’s are likely not on most state’s immediate legislative agenda (California’s rule was passed unanimously by CA Energy Commission). However, there are great solar incentives available in many states, and while they aren’t as tough as California’s rules, they are still a positive step toward a clean, renewable, energy-independent future.

At All Energy, we’re concentrating our efforts on changing minds instead of laws. It turns out, there are still many outdated opinions and misconceptions about solar—that it’s expensive, or not feasible in states that have winter. (In fact, many northern states actually get more energy producing hours of sunlight than their southern counterparts!) The truth is: technology is making solar more realistic and more affordable all the time for everyone. And lots that were once deemed too shady have other alternative options, including pole-based panels and community solar gardens.

We are making progress, and interest is continuing to grow in the US. In Minnesota for instance, renewable energy has moved into second place as largest source of electricity generation, nudging out nuclear power but still trailing coal. The price of entry for solar is plummeting — dropping almost 60 percent in just the last five years. (So much for the old joke about free energy being the most expensive kind!)

The growth of solar is exciting. Jobs in the solar industry have increased 168% in the last seven years. The solar industry now employs more than 250,000 workers nationwide (twice as much as coal, and five times as many as nuclear power). So encouraging solar adoption isn’t just good environmental policy, it’s good economic policy.

Regardless of why folks are making the switch to solar – whether out of environmental concern or simply a desire to own and control their own energy source, the trend toward solar is a win-win for the country; even for non-solar energy consumers who benefit from the basic economics of supply and demand. We expect to see a lot more switching, and a lot more benefits, in the years to come.