If you have been wondering whether all the buzz surrounding solar energy is really more hype than reality based information, recent news items, including this article from the New York Times, Looking for Silver Linings may have you scratching your head even a bit harder. While the article rightly points out that there have been some big national solar companies that have had to rethink their business models in light of the recent ruling in Nevada that rolled back that state’s Net Metering policies, (concurrent with the steep drop in market valuations of some of the solar industries largest installers,) you might be led to believe that solar energy is just another fad that has had its day in the sun. But you’d be missing the real Silver Lining in the solar energy landscape, especially here in the New York area.
First things first–Nevada’s decision to undermine net metering, the rule that allows solar energy system owners to gain full retail credit for the electricity they produce, regardless of whether it is consumed on-site or exported through the electric grid to be used by a neighbor, was the result of intense Nevada utility pressure to defend a system that is currently under siege nationwide by the distributed generation model exemplified by solar, wind, and small scale hydro energy production. And Nevada’s decision is an outlier, especially compared with its neighbor California’s ruling to support net metering in a recent legislative challenge. Moreover, New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative NY’s REV sends a strong and unmistakable signal that in New York, things are heading in the other direction, with a progressive approach to the generation and distribution of electricity that recognizes the critical importance of renewables like solar for the well being of all New Yorkers.
Silver Lining Solar is proud to be at the center of that transition, employing local workers to bring the clean energy of photovoltaics (PV) to businesses and nonprofits who live and work in this area.
So if you are interested in looking for the real Silver Lining in solar energy and want to find out more, contact us. We’ll be glad to shed some light on the topic.