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Lighthouse Solar Sounds Off on PV Market Challanges as It Exits Solar Business in Colorado

July 18, 2014
Lighthouse Solar, a Boulder, Colo.-based solar installation business, says it's getting out of the installation business in Colorado because of the lack of support for the PV industry from Xcel Energy and the public utility commission.

Lighthouse Solar, a Boulder, Colo.-based solar installation business, announced today that it is getting out of the installation business in Colorado. The company said in a press release:

“Market conditions created by Xcel Energy and the  public utility commission (PUC) have made operating in Colorado too difficult and unpredictable to do business.  In contrast, Lighthouse Solar has two additional installation offices that are thriving in Austin, Texas and New Paltz, New York.”

Lighthouse Solar has been installing solar since 2006. In 2013, the company installed the largest rooftop system in Colorado, 1.2MW on the Flatirons Crossing Mall. Last year, the company completed over 7MW of installations, employing over 40 full-time employees and over 100 people including sub-contractors. The company is shifting its focus to its Lumos brand of solar products and has reduced its workforce down to 15 full-time employees based on the fact that only 7MW of commercial solar projects will be completed in the entire state in 2014.

In the press release, Scott Franklin, CEO and president, said, "Lighthouse Solar was established with the mission to facilitate the use of solar energy. It is deeply disappointing that the only thing standing between us and the enormous demand for solar energy in our home state is Xcel Energy, a state-sanctioned monopoly, and the PUC. Colorado should be a global leader in solar energy. We have over 300 days of high altitude sunshine a year; we have an incredibly progressive population that is concerned about the environment and climate change, yet instead we are going backwards.”

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