SolarCity looks to grow in R.I. thanks to new renewable law

AS A RESULT OF LEGISLATION signed by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, California-based SolarCity says it is plans to expand its presence in Rhode Island, including hiring up to 80 people for its Coventry operations center.
AS A RESULT OF LEGISLATION signed by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, California-based SolarCity says it is plans to expand its presence in Rhode Island, including hiring up to 80 people for its Coventry operations center.

(Updated, July 8, 9:53 a.m.)
PROVIDENCE – The renewable energy giant SolarCity on Thursday announced plans to hire up to 80 new employees in the wake of newly enacted legislation that promotes the expansion of alternative energy in Rhode Island.

The California-based company is launching the new hiring push to fully staff its Coventry-based operations center, which currently employs about 20 people. Fully staffed, SolarCity operation centers typically comprise 100 employees, representing a possible net gain for the state of 80 employees.

The announcement came on the heels of Gov. Gina M. Raimondo signing legislation that expands net-metering capacity and reduces solar taxes. Previous law held back the industry from maximizing its growth potential, according to the company.

“We are grateful that Governor Raimondo and the Rhode Island legislature support clean energy and the solar business economy by signing legislation that expands net metering and makes solar more accessible for Rhode Islanders,” said SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive in a statement. “We look forward to increasing our solar product offerings in the Ocean State.”

- Advertisement -

Level Solar, a New-York based solar company, has also expressed interest in expanding operations in Rhode Island, according to a press release from the R.I. Senate. A Level Solar representative said the company was speaking with Rhode Island officials regarding the new law, but there was nothing else to report at the moment.

Raimondo, along with several General Assembly lawmakers, held a ceremonial bill signing at Newport Vineyards. The eight bills signed into law focused wholly on expanding the renewable energy sector in Rhode Island, which was a major agenda item this past legislative session for the Senate.

“Jobs are being created in the clean-energy sector of our economy at six times the overall rate of job growth,” said Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed. “There is tremendous potential to build on this strength and maximize opportunities for job creation in emerging green industries.”

The Solar Foundation, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit, in February estimated the number of solar jobs in Rhode Island grew 214 percent last year, from 300 in 2014 to 941 in 2015, marking the highest percentage growth of any state in the country.

Raimondo lauded the novel renewable energy laws, saying the legislation and her recent meeting with SolarCity in California helped drive the new job growth. Raimondo traveled to the Golden State in May. SolarCity, whose chairman is the famed business mogul Elon R. Musk, entered the Rhode Island market in June 2015.

“This legislation reflects forward-thinking energy policies that will help us meet our state energy goals,” Raimondo said in a statement. “With its passage, we can continue to create jobs, connect Rhode Islanders with more cost-effective energy options and reduce our carbon footprint.”

The expansion of net-metering capacity in the state, especially, could spark rapid growth in the solar installation sector moving forward, matching a trend realized in neighboring states, including Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. The shifting nature of how energy is produced, however, will likely affect how the state’s electric grid is used and alter energy costs for residents and businesses in the future. State electric regulators are currently trying to determine who should pay how much for what costs in the future.

No posts to display