Why in a cloud place like New Jersey is solar so strong there?
This is my 6th video interview with Erik Bowman Regional Sales Manager of Akeena Solar out of Denver Colorado.
SolarDave: Why Is New Jersey A Leader In Solar Power Installs?
Erik Bowman: There are 3 components that affect any economy whether solar is viable in that economy or not, you have the cost of putting in the system cost of electricity, and the sun availability. Those are the 3 biggies, there are a couple of other subtle factors that impact that but those are the 3 big one.
Turns out that New York is actually the #2 solar economy in the United States and Germany is the #1 economy in the world, and you notice the common denominator is that it is cloudy – that least most people would perceive those environments as cloudy.
But there is enough sun to run solar but the reason it is viable have a combination of extremely high electricity rates and extremely strong rebates put in to drive the cost of the systems down. When you put those 2 things together it makes sense for the client.
That is why New York has extremely high electricity rates as does California the rebates are realitivelty strong so when you put those 2 together they make a lot of economic sense.
In Colorado the rebates are the strongest in the country at $4.50 a watt plus the federal tax credit when you would combine that with what I would call medium to low cost electricity but increasing fast, this year electricity went up 27% in the Xcel territory in Colorado which is a very sharp curve.
