Infographic: Solar Saves America

Don’t Take Our Word for It

In an opinion poll conducted by One Block Off the Grid, 19 out of 23 solar company CEOs said they “strongly agreed” that strengthening state solar policies would lead to more hiring at their companies.

“As soon as Wisconsin lawmakers create stronger solar policies like SRECs here, I can start hiring and putting solar panels on all the homes, farms, and businesses that want them,” said Todd Timmerman of Timmerman’s Talents LLC in Platteville, Wisconsin. “Our state does have some incentives, but not enough to allow me to expand my business the way I’d like.”

“Georgia is ideal for solar, but utilities here have far too much sway over our state energy policy,” said Steve Barker, CEO of Walker Solar Power in Mansfield, Georgia. “Before I can start hiring, lawmakers have to stand up to them and create real solar policies in our state. It’s time.”

“Many, many homeowners want to go solar in New York, but without better incentives in place, they don’t have a framework for doing that yet,” said George Demakos, President & CEO of Renewable Energy Solutions Systems in Port Washington, New York.” If the New York Solar Jobs Act passes here and SRECs are put in place, consumer demand for solar will be unleashed, and I’ll probably have a hard time hiring as many people as I need to keep up with demand.”

“Virginians want solar but the policies and incentives in Virginia limit the development of a good solar market,” said Ken Stadlin, President of Kenergy Solar. “Dominion Power is too powerful and dominant in their influence of Virginia politics.  I grew up in Virginia and I would love to open a Virginia office and expand our company, but until Virginia puts a reliable policy framework in place we would not choose to invest there.”

“Solar is a bright and shining addition to Arizona’s economic development portfolio,” said Dan Maher, VP of Business Development for Solar Plus in Tucson. “And it promises to only get better. With as little as 10 percent penetration in the residential market alone, the skilled labor required to install solar power arrays would create thousands of jobs and millions in wages. Talk about a stimulus package.”

Check out the Live Version of the Map

To help U.S. citizens start the conversation with state leaders, the One Nation Off the Grid program has launched the U.S. Solar Market Map, an interactive, data-driven map that shows real-time levels of homeowner solar activity all the way down to the county level, as well as the estimated number of jobs created in each state if solar policies were stronger. The map reveals whether group pricing on solar is available in a given county and includes a frank assessment of each state’s clean energy policies.

One Block Off the Grid will contribute all profits from the national program to Kiva City, the new U.S. based arm of Kiva.org’s microlending platform. The Kiva City program, kicking off in Detroit, was launched as part of a commitment announced earlier this month by President Bill Clinton on stage at the Clinton Global Initiative America conference in Chicago.

What’s One Block Off the Grid?

One Block Off the Grid organizes group deals on solar energy. Since 2008, One Block Off the Grid has run hundreds of group deals in over 40 U.S. states and helped thousands of homeowners go solar. We’ve been featured in dozens of publications and programs including The New York Times, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, USA Today, Marketplace, Wired, and GOOD Magazine. In 2010, One Block Off the Grid sponsored the first-ever solar deal on Groupon.com and received a Heart of Green Award for “Best New Innovation.” Want to find out if there’s a group deal on solar in your area? Sign up for One Block Off the Grid (it’s free). Not ready to go solar, but want to help take solar mainstream? Tell your friends about One Block Off the Grid.