Roseville Solar Firms Show Bright, Dim Sides of Industry
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — Two Roseville solar companies are at opposite sides of the spectrum—one says it's seeing a lot of green while another says it's losing power.
Liz Freeman works at Paramount Solar in Roseville. Their focus is residential solar panels for homeowners. She says the phones have been ringing off the hook.
"It's just been booming," she said. "We're growing like crazy. It's a success story, especially for the Sacramento Valley."
She says residential solar companies across the nation have been cashing in on the green industry boom. They do about 400 jobs a month.
"In the past three years, we've grown substantially, and in the next year we hope to continue that growth pattern."
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, U.S. companies saw a 76 percent growth between 2011 and 2012. That means more jobs.
On the other end of the solar spectrum is Solar Power Incorporated, also in Roseville. Owned by a company in China, their focus is not residential, but toward major utilities around the globe.
"Having China as a parent company was great three years ago, but is not that great today," CEO Steve Kircher said.
The recent European and Asian economic crises reduced their sales substantially. They went from 91 employees three years ago to just 11 now.
"Greece was a great opportunity for us," he said. "Europe is in a big turmoil today, and that has been the biggest buyer of solar over the past six years."
Steve said his company isn't going dark, but it has been forced to reduce its overhead. He says they have $20 million in shareholder assets and $2 million in the bank, but right now residential solar is just not his cup of tea.
"There are good jobs and there is still an industry of renewables. Our business just didn't go in that direction."
