The future of the solar industry in the north eastern United States now looks much brighter following the massive injection of $20 million in federal money designed to act as a stimulus for the solar industry in Massachusetts. The cash stimulus will equate to 16 Megawatts of new solar installations in the state and will see the construction of some high profile solar sites including Logan International Airport in Boston.
Deval Patrick, Governor of the state of Massachusetts has made it his aim over recent months to make the state a leader in the field of photovoltaic investment and recent announcements regarding the cash that will be made available for large solar installations certainly backs up the political rhetoric coming from the governor’s office.
Speaking about the states renewable energy plans, Ian Bowles, secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs in Massachusetts stated that,
“With this infusion of federal funds, Governor Patrick is building the clean energy economy of the future for the Commonwealth”, going on to add that, “It’s phase one of the solar big bang”.
The current plans for solar installations in Massachusetts which will include new housing projects, public buildings and of course Logan Airport are part of a wider project which has been in place since the investiture of Governor Patrick. When he took office, solar installations in the state were around 3.5 megawatts and he has set the ambitious target of 250 megawatts of solar capacity by 2017.
The state of Massachusetts provides a good example of a solar industry growing with the help of government funding and root changes in attitudes with regards to the way our energy should be produced. As Seth Kaplan, spokesman for the Conservation Law Foundation commented,
“The amazing thing when you think about it is that we don’t have solar on every large flat roof. Any large flat roof without solar on it is a missed opportunity.”
Which such ambitions, the state of Massachusetts will be sure to provide a great opportunity for photovoltaic investors in the near future as they set their sights on a solar future.