Sunrun expands into southeastern Wisconsin

A national solar company that helps people set up panels in their home is expanding into southeastern Wisconsin.

Amy Heart, policy director for Sunrun, said she is “really excited about what the future holds in Wisconsin,” adding that the company could add 50 positions in the state the first year.

She points to the company’s success in South Carolina as proof of the possibilities in Wisconsin. Sunrun moved into the state in 2014, and added over 200 jobs there in less than two years.

“We have super high hopes for Wisconsin,” Heart said. “We want to do the same thing here.”

The expansion would add jobs in a sector of the economy that’s growing more and more. A recent report from the Solar Foundation found solar jobs in the state jumped 45 percent between 2015 and 2016, an increase of 872 jobs. The number of project development jobs alone went up by 69 percent over the same period.

Heart says that growth suggests future stability in the state solar market, which as of now only generates a tiny fraction of the total electricity for the state. But solar costs are on a downward trend.

“As costs come down over the last five years, solar is now more viable to more people, more locations,” she said.

The California-based company will be serving individuals in 12 southeastern Wisconsin counties, offering multiple ways to pay for a rooftop solar system.

Sunrun’s system relies on net-metering, a credit-based billing mechanism for offsetting energy use that returns excess power to others on the grid.

“In the summer, you might not be using all the excess solar power,” Heart explained. “It can go back to the line, to your neighbor; you can then use those credits at night, or in November.”

She says Wisconsin being an early adopter of net-metering has allowed homeowners to invest in solar at a lower cost and take part in creating a more reliable energy grid.

Sunrun is already active in 16 other states, employs over 3,000, and has installed almost 135,000 systems in the 10 years it’s been in business.

“You look at any national poll, and across party lines, people want solar energy — particularly in the Midwest,” said Andrew Newbold, public policy manager for Sunrun. “It’s really exciting.”

–By Alex Moe
WisBusiness.com