Local renewable energy company Sundance Power Systems is joining thousands of solar advocates across the nation today and throughout the week in celebrating the solar industry’s achievement of 1 million solar installations.
Organized by SEIA, the Solar Energy Industries Association, the #MillionSolarStrong campaign is spreading awareness of the significant growth seen in the industry.“The adoption of solar energy in America has reached a new height of one million installations nationwide. This milestone is the product of American innovation and ingenuity. It is the result of consumers, policy leaders, advocates and an industry of over 200,000 workers who have all helped make the nation’s clean energy revolution a reality.”
To put 1 million into more concrete terms, SEIA reports that this is enough power generation to supply all of Pennsylvania. Over 1,5000 installations are utility-scale, nearly 57,000 are for businesses and non-profits, and over 942,000 American households have embraced solar. The collective carbon offset is 34 million tons of Carbon Dioxide annually.
While it has taken the developing solar industry decades to reach this milestone, SEIA projects that another million will be reached in just 2 years due to the rapid acceleration of solar installations. This growth is largely due to favorable economics; costs have dropped more than 70% over the past decade, and panels have become more efficient. The extension of the 30 % Federal tax credit through 2021 also provides predictability for the industry, which is greatly influenced by policy decisions.
With over 20 years of work in NC’s solar industry, Sundance Power Systems has played a significant leadership role in the region. Since its founding in 1995, Sundance has installed 8.4 megawatts of solar electric, with 1.3 of that capacity installed in 2015. NC ranked second in the nation in new solar capacity for the second consecutive year in 2015, supported by a strong state incentive and legislation. However, the General Assembly did not renew the tax credit, and its expiration with the close of 2015 is expected to have a negative impact, especially on rooftop solar companies in the state. Dave Hollister, Sundance’s founder, continues to play an active role in solar industry, advocating for policy change and utility relationships to ensure a strong industry moving forward. Solar has proven itself as a cost-effective and reliable energy source, and its continued growth depends on awareness and support from everyone.
For more information on the MillionSolarStrong campaign visit seia.org/campaign/million-solar-strong.
To learn more about Sundance Power System, please visit our website: sundancepower.com.
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