Solar photovoltaic industry is 'rocking and rolling' in Massachusetts
Other states may be producing more megawatts of solar energy, but the industry is definitely growing in Massachusetts, according to local sources.
States like Nevada and California, with their abundance of sun and ability to create large solar farms, made the top of the nation's solar production list, according to research firm Clean Edge.
But locally solar is still a booming business.
More and more businesses are adding solar to their operations including companies like John Matouk & Co. (84 kW) in Fall River, Chase Canopy (60 kW) in Mattapoisett, Dartmouth Building Supply (202 kW) in Dartmouth, Cape Cod Cooperative Bank (102 kW) in Hyannis, and United Natural Foods (167 kW) in Providence, R.I.
While these installations have tended to be only a few hundred kilowatts or smaller, even that limitation seems to be changing.
In Dartmouth, Con Edison recently went online with its 2 MW solar array in the New Bedford Business Park, the largest operating solar array in New England — at least for now.
Plenty of municipalities are pursuing solar projects including one in Dartmouth, a 1.5 MW array being planned for an old landfill on Russells Mills Road, and one in the town of Westerly, R.I. where an RFP will soon be issued for a planned 600 kW solar array on a capped landfill.
Topping them all in size, are plans in East Providence, R.I. for a 10 MW solar farm on an inactive landfill, along with plans by Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperatives for a total of 18.3 MW in solar on 10 sites on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard.
New Bedford too is working on a large solar project for its municipal buildings, one that collectively may be as big as 10 MW.
These projects represent just a percentage of companies, educational institutions, municipalities and agencies that are pursuing or have completed solar installations, making for what one New Bedford installer called a "rocking and rolling" industry.
Phillip Cavallo, owner of Beaumont Solar in New Bedford, said his company has installed about 75 photovoltaic arrays mainly at commercial sites, since entering the solar business in 2007. And business just keeps growing, he said.
"The growth rate for us as a company has been exponential. We've expanded our workforce and taken on additional projects and geographies that we originally didn't envision being part of," said Cavallo. "What we're looking at now are projects that are all over Massachusetts."
Beaumont's staff, which includes its sign business, grew from about 13 employees in 2008 to 35 today, Cavallo said. The company plans to continue expanding its market area and is also growing in project size, he said.
"We started with 5 kW projects at the residential level," said Cavallo. "Now we're at 1 MW solar farm level and from there we'll go to 4-5 MW solar farm and then eventually we'll get to utility scale."
Cavallo said installations are getting larger because the economics are so good. The state's rebate and tax incentive programs, particularly the solar renewable energy credits, really boosted the industry, he said.
"What it's done is made this solar energy hit the turbo charge," he said. "We're seeing payback periods of two years or less in (certain) customer scenarios."
According to the state, programs from rebates to ARRA funding, have contributed to the solar boom. As of the end of 2010, Massachusetts had 2,600 installations providing more than 45 MW of solar power, according to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
Commitments show more than 60 MW of solar power will soon be installed or are under contract — nearly 20 times the amount of solar statewide in January 2007, MassCEC said.
In Rhode Island, a languishing solar industry may see new life with current legislation to allow utilities to sign long-term contracts for both power and renewable energy credits.
The legislation will help renewable energy producers obtain higher prices for the power they produce and for renewable energy credits, according to Jeff Broadhead, executive director of the Washington County Regional Planning Council.
Broadhead said that although it has not yet been signed, the legislation may help boost the state's solar business similar to the way credits helped Massachusetts.
Overall, Cavallo sees a bright future ahead for solar.
"I think the U.S. market is projected to grow at 10 times in the next five years," he said. "If we see the market develop that way in the U.S. and if the fed government doesn't change their policy...the U.S. will be the number one solar consumer."
Solar photovoltaic industry is 'rocking and rolling' in Massachusetts | New England Business Bulletin
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