Southern Current Appoints Jon Downey As Chief Executive Officer

/in , , /by

March 26, 2018 CHARLESTON, SC

Southern Current’s Management Committee unanimously votes to appoint Jon Downey as Chief Executive Officer. He will also continue in his current role as President.

Jon Downey was instrumental in both the execution and successful integration of the 2016 merger between Sustainable Energy Solutions and Solbridge Energy which formed Southern Current. He then played a critical role in Southern Currents capital raising efforts first with MMA Capital and then with New Energy Capital. In his role as President, Jon Downey has managed the rapid growth of all sectors of the Company’s business.

“I am extremely proud of what we are building at Southern Current and grateful to the Members for this opportunity and their support,” said Jon Downey.

“We are fortunate to work with an incredible team here at Southern Current, and Jon is a perfect fit to lead the business as President and CEO towards continued success and exciting new opportunities in the future,” said Greg White, a Managing Member and Co-Founder.

“It has been a pleasure working with Jon these past few years. We are excited about the future and the leadership he brings to guide Southern Current into its next stage of growth,” said Paul Fleury, a Managing Member and Co-Founder.

“Jon has been instrumental in building a company that is operationally and financially capable of executing at scale and with consistent quality. Southern Current now has multiple strategic opportunities for growth at a national level and I look forward to supporting Jon in growing our company,” said John J. Pinto, a Managing Member.

“Jon Downey is a proven executive who has earned our respect. I have every confidence that Jon will continue to do an excellent job in leading Southern Current,” said Kent Trowbridge, a Managing Member and Co-Founder.

About Southern Current

Southern Current, based in Charleston, SC, is a leading developer and installer in the utility-scale, commercial and residential solar markets with hundreds of systems currently providing power to customers across the Southeastern United States and expanding nationwide. Our integrated platform includes Project Development, Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Operations & Maintenance, Finance and Asset Management. www.southerncurrentllc.com

Report: South Carolina Solar Jobs Increased In 2017

/in , , /by

Need another reason to support solar power in South Carolina? One word: Jobs. Solar industry employment in South Carolina grew by 2% last year, at a time when the national trend of solar employment decreased across the country. According to the latest Solar Jobs Census by The Solar Foundation, over 2,800 workers are now employed by South Carolina’s solar industry, with a total of 250,271 Americans working in solar across the U.S.

Solar Industry In South Carolina Now Provides Over 2,800 Jobs

In the five-year period between 2012 and 2017, solar employment grew nationally by 110% overall or 16% annually, adding 131,000 jobs. Within this period, solar employment grew nine times faster than the overall U.S. economy, and one in every 100 new jobs was a solar job.

Solar makes up just under 2% of overall U.S. energy generation, yet it employs twice as many workers as the coal industry, almost five times as many as nuclear power, and nearly as many workers as the natural gas industry.

Women made up 27% of the solar workforce in 2017, down 1% from 2016. Veterans made up 9% of solar workers, which is 2% more than the overall U.S. workforce.

“One of the largest economic drivers in rural South Carolina is solar, as developers are investing billions of dollars in new infrastructure, creating millions of dollars in new tax revenue, and providing a diversified source of income that is critical to farmers. South Carolina should be looking to innovative companies like Southern Current who have proven to be competitive in a non-competitive market by providing the lowest cost power to our grid.” -Congressman Mark Sanford

Net Metering Cap Threatens Booming Industry, Jobs

A current state law ensures that no more than 2 percent of South Carolina’s electricity production can come from solar panels on people’s homes. But with the recent boom in solar installations, industry members are concerned that the 2 percent threshold may be met sooner than later. Solar companies are appealing to state lawmakers to raise or remove the cap in the name of jobs and energy savings.

“The net metering cap, if not raised, leaves no more room for residential solar. Therefore companies working in South Carolina will have to find alternative markets, like North Carolina, to do business in. It would be a real detriment to a state that’s trending up while the rest of the nation is going down.” -Steffanie Dohn, Southern Current’s Director of Government Relations

“At the rate we’re growing we anticipate over $280 million in new job wages (nationally) and $65 million in South Carolina. However, if the net metering cap is not changed, these numbers will decrease dramatically,” she added.

Learn More About Solar Power In South Carolina

According to our analysis, the average homeowner could expect to save money for 25 years with a new solar panel installation in South Carolina. Plus, available solar rebates & incentives from the state of South Carolina and local power companies bring down the overall cost, making now one of the best times to look into cutting your power bill in half (or more) with a solar power system!

Southern Current is proud to be one of the top Solar Installers in the Southeast, with capabilities in residential solar for homes, commercial solar for businesses, and utility-scale solar farms for property owners and utilities. Schedule a solar consultation today to receive a free analysis of how much money you could be saving with a solar panel installation! Don’t wait – Summer power bills are coming soon!

South Carolina Solar Energy News – January Edition

/in , , /by

The following article contains important news about solar & renewable energy in South Carolina from the month of January 2018. Contact the Southeast’s leading solar company Southern Current to learn about saving money by powering your home or business with clean, unlimited solar energy.

January News Solar Energy In South Carolina

PV Magazine USA: Tariffs on imported solar materials approved by U.S. ITC

Panels are the single largest expense in a solar installation and a new 30% tariff will raise prices of the overall system. This tariff could result in a $2,000-$2,500 increase on a typical 10 kW residential installation. Southern Current will continue to work hard to minimize the economic impact of this tariff on our customers. One way Southern Current is achieving this goal is by maintaining our current pricing while we still have a supply of pre-tariff panels in inventory. To learn more please contact us at 843.277.2090

Congressman Mark Sanford visited the Southern Current office in January

Above: Sanford (left) poses with Southern Current’s Stephanie Dohn, Director of Government Relations and Jon Downey, President

“One of the largest economic drivers in rural South Carolina is solar, as developers are investing billions of dollars in new infrastructure, creating millions of dollars in new tax revenue, and providing a diversified source of income that is critical to farmers. South Carolina should be looking to innovative companies like Southern Current who have proven to be competitive in a non-competitive market by providing the lowest cost power to our grid.” -Congressman Mark Sanford

The Post and Courier: Solar companies ask new S.C. Energy Caucus to lift cap on residential solar

Bret Sowers, vice president of development and strategy with Southern Current, asked state lawmakers on a new Energy Caucus to consider solar-friendly legislation.

Solar companies see opportunity as the South Carolina Legislature continues to wrestle with the cancellation of two unfinished nuclear reactors at V.C. Summer station in Fairfield County. A new legislative energy caucus met for the first time in January, and Southern Current’s Bret Sowers asked state lawmakers to repeal a law saying no more than 2 percent of the state’s electricity production can come from solar panels on residential properties.

Southern Current Blog: Employees complete week-long solar safety training

 

Members of the Southern Current solar installation team recently wrapped up a week-long course designed to enhance the care and safety taken on job sites. The program was 100% voluntary, meaning no local, state, or other authorities ordered this training to occur. Learn about the safety training on our Blog.

Save Money With Solar Energy In South Carolina

Southern Current is proud to be one of the top Solar Installers in the Southeast. Thanks to the numerous Solar Rebates & Incentives that are currently available, there’s never been a more affordable time to create your own energy! View the Southern Current Solar Panel Installation Portfolio to see projects we’ve completed in your area, or Contact Us to request information about a solar panel installation for your home or business and see how much you can save with solar.

 

South Carolina Solar Energy News – December Edition

/in , , /by

The following article contains important news about solar & renewable energy in South Carolina from the month of December. Contact the Southeast’s leading solar company Southern Current to learn about saving money by powering your home or business with clean, unlimited solar energy.

December News Solar Energy In South Carolina

TheTandD: 550 acre solar farm planned near Bowman

Our friends at Cypress Creek Renewables are investing $115 million dollars to build a 75-megawatt solar farm near Bowman! Scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2019, the project will generate power from sunlight which will be sold to South Carolina Electric & Gas and to help the utility serve customers during periods of high demand.

Southeast Energy News: Solar industry says $5.6B in Southeast projects threatened by tariff

An industry analysis says as much as $5.6 billion in solar investments and nearly 15,000 jobs in four Southeast states would be at risk if President Trump places tariffs on imported solar panels. The report supports a claim made earlier this month by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who told the U.S. Trade Representative that “any increase in solar panel prices will destroy billions of dollars’ worth of investment and result in thousands of job losses” in the state.

Join us in fighting together to protect the 370,000+ Americans who work in solar by contacting the Trump Administration and voicing your opposition to solar tariffs.

 

PV Magazine USA: SCEG hits solar goal three years early

In December local utility South Carolina Electric & Gas announced they had reached their goal of building 42 MW of utility-scale solar capacity three years ahead of schedule (original timeline called for projects to be commissioned by 2020). The achievement was celebrated on December 5th in conjunction with the commissioning of a new 1.62 MW Otarre Solar Park in Cayce.

A special solar net metering offer is available for SCE&G customers who add solar panels to their homes.

Southern Current Blog: End-of-Year Promo for Going Solar

Southern Current is now offering a special $500 Gift Card for customers who finalize contracts before the end of the year! Going solar offers a lifetime of rewards including lower power bills, higher home value, and numerous environmental benefits.

Save Money With Solar Energy In South Carolina

Southern Current is proud to be one of the top Solar Installers in the Southeast. Thanks to the numerous Solar Rebates & Incentives that are currently available, there’s never been a more affordable time to create your own energy! View the Southern Current Solar Panel Installation Portfolio to see projects we’ve completed in your area, or Contact Us to request information about a solar panel installation for your home or business and see how much you can save with solar.

 

South Carolina Solar Energy News – November Edition

/in , , /by

The following article contains important news about solar & renewable energy in South Carolina from the month of November. Contact the Southeast’s leading solar company Southern Current to learn about saving money by powering your home or business with clean, unlimited solar energy.

November News Solar Energy In South Carolina

WSPA Ch7 News: 10,000 jobs to be created with South Carolina solar power project

Some great news for us all – Our friends at Cypress Creek Renewables are investing $1.5 billion dollars to build 2 gigawatts of new solar power capacity in South Carolina! Working in partnership with Greenville Technical College to create a unique solar training program, these upcoming projects will create 10,000 construction jobs and power more than 600,000 homes.

The Post and Courier: Tariffs will hurt solar industry

A bipartisan coalition has formed among solar industry stakeholders including manufacturers, installers, and politicians. The group is speaking out against new tariffs on solar imports which could result in higher costs to the consumer and as many as 80,000 job cuts from domestic manufacturers.

Join us in fighting together to protect the 370,000+ Americans who work in solar by contacting the Trump Administration and voicing your opposition to solar tariffs.

 

NPR: South Carolina Mayors Unite in Their Stance on Climate Change

South Carolina mayors of Charleston, Greenville, Columbia and Anderson have united in the fight against climate change in their cities. A number of pledge for greater sustainability have been made, including increasing the use of solar panels, providing rain barrels to residents and creating a new “green” wastewater treatment facility. “I think we can serve as a model for other cities, particularly other cities in the American South, to show that we can not only make progressive improvements, but smart improvements that can help lead our peer cities across the country, ” said Mayor Steve Benjamin of Columbia.

 

Save Money With Solar Energy In South Carolina

Southern Current is proud to be one of the top Solar Installers in the Southeast. Thanks to the numerous Solar Rebates & Incentives that are currently available, there’s never been a more affordable time to create your own energy! View the Southern Current Solar Panel Installation Portfolio to see projects we’ve completed in your area, or Contact Us to request information about a solar panel installation for your home or business and see how much you can save with solar.