The Future of Solar Energy in New York City

Level Solar Goes Out of Business

In late September, the news of Level Solar going out of business first started spreading. Formerly known as Elevate Solar Inc, Level Solar was incorporated in 2013 and was based in New York, New York with operations in Long Island, New York City and Massachusetts. On September 20, the company went under quietly, without an official public statement.

Earlier this year, the CEO of the company, Richard Kieser, was let go, which employees described as an indicator of a “rocky” time for the company. Level Solar shutting down resulted in all of its employees being let go and their customers left without any kind of supervision or support. If comments left by the employees on job boards are to be trusted, the company was mismanaged financially and eventually led to the investors pulling out.

Incidents like this are a reminder of how difficult it can get for renewable energy companies to make it. Here at Venture Solar, we pay keen attention to every detail and try to do everything right, so that we can be a company that both our employees and customers can depend on. Being a solar energy company in the City is not easy, by any means, but things are looking up for the industry and the future looks promising.

Is New York City Ready for Solar?

Absolutely. New York has been a frontrunner in embracing renewable energy and stands out in its efforts to integrate more renewables in the power grid. Three years ago, the State announced that it would spend $5.3 billion toward achieving its goal of having 50% of its energy come from renewable sources, by the year 2030. This will be a significant increase, since NY only had 24% renewable energy generation in this year.

Solar technology is extremely advanced, but the financial incentives introduced in the past few years have been a driving force in more and more people embracing the technology. In the recent past, the various tax incentives offered by the state have significantly lowered the cost of going solar for homeowners and made solar energy actually cheaper than electricity produced from dirty oil. It is widely acknowledged that New York’s financial game plan is very sophisticated. The state seems to be doing everything right, making it a frontrunner in solar energy.

The solar industry in New York City has seen tremendous growth. From just five solar installers operating in the city in 2005, there were 55 by 2015, employing close to 2,700 people. NY Sun Initiative has set a goal to install 3 gigawatts of solar capacity in the state by the year 2023, which is 8 times the current installed capacity (338 megawatts). While good things are happening, building an infrastructure that’s sustainable is a real challenge for new solar companies in the area. The road isn’t easy, but we’re definitely on our way.

Wave of the Future

Apart from the obvious superior qualities—such as being clean, renewable and sustainable—solar energy has proved itself to be a consistent, reliable, cheaper and overall better source of energy. As SunPower Master Dealers, Venture Solar is dedicated to bringing this amazing technology to families in New York City. We’re committed to delivering the best product on the market, with the best service possible, making sure every customer has the absolute best experience. We employ over a 100 New Yorkers, all of whom are devoted to working together to build a better planet for us and our children.

We are fortunate to be a part of this fast-growing industry and the green revolution. We do our best to inform our customers of the advantages of going solar, the incentives offered to them, the financing options available, the city’s permitting process and a step-by-step breakdown of the overall process of switching to solar. At this point, the homeowners’ biggest job in the process is the decision to go solar; we take care of the rest.

Despite this unfortunate incident with Level Solar, the future of solar industry in New York City looks promising. All of Level customers are being taken care of by a local solar provider and many of their employees have found employment in other solar companies, including Venture. If you’re a Level Solar customer and have questions, please feel free to call us at 800-203-4158.