Solar Power Rebate Program Is a ‘Victim’ of Its Own Success (Conn.)

[jpak]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/nyregion/connecticut/21solarct.html

IT’S the good news-bad news dilemma. Connecticut’s rebate program for home and business owners who purchase solar systems to generate electricity has become so popular, money has run out for some residential rebates, and rebate applications for commercial, government and nonprofit groups are being cut off next month.

“We’re victims of our own success,” said Lise Dondy, president of the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, which runs the solar rebate program.

Aside from leaving people in a solar lurch, success is also breeding widespread concern that unless money is injected into the program, the momentum built up over its four-year life will be lost, taking with it some of the dozens of companies and hundreds of jobs it created. Many fear that would put a damper on the growth of so-called green-collar jobs, which they also see as a key to reversing the economic downturn.

“We don’t want to be in position to put together all this wonderful momentum and then tell them we can’t sustain them: ‘Go away,’ ” said Michael Trahan, executive director of Solar Connecticut, an industry group. “That’s a serious hiccup that will take years to fix.”

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