Dive Brief:
- Sunrun, the largest residential solar installer in the United States, announced yesterday that it is expanding operations into southeast Wisconsin
- According to Sunrun, the move will make it the first national residential solar company to offer rooftop solar to Midwest residents. Homeowners can either choose to purchase a solar PV system outright, or own and finance it with Sunrun BrightAdvantage and a loan provided by the company.
- Earlier this year, Sunrun announced it had teamed up with National Grid in a partnership to expand the rooftop PV presence of both the solar retailer and the utility.
Dive Insight:
Sunrun's move into Wisconsin marks the latest in a series of decisions the company has made to expand its operations. In addition to the National Grid partnership, the company announced last year its BrightBox solar+storage service in the California market through either a monthly or prepaid lease of up to 20 years.
According to a statement from the company, Sunrun's expansion into Wisconsin highlights the company's ability to enter new markets "in a low fixed-cost way through collaborating with local partners in the state."
The company added that it is boosting the Wisconsin economy and is already hiring for several positions in the southeast portion of the state. Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Ray Allen hailed the decision, saying the energy sector "offers good job opportunities and a path forward for the state to continue growing its economy and developing the workforce."
Wisconsin has previously been a hotspot over fixed charges. Its utilities have pushed for higher fixed charges on all ratepayers—both solar and non-solar—but public outcry compelled regulators to pare down those requests.
