Nevada's solar industry on the rebound

In 2015, the Nevada Public Utilities Commission voted in favor of a new tariff structure that reduced net energy metering buyback rates and increased fix fees for residential solar customers. The state lost about 400 solar jobs following the decision, and another 1,800 between 2016 and 2017, according to The Solar Foundation. The PUC ruling was considered a major step back for the industry, but data show Nevada’s solar industry is on the rebound. The state installed 11.7 megawatts worth of solar in the first quarter of 2018, a 166 percent increase from quarter one 2017, according to research from Wood Mackenzie Power and Renewables team. Austin Perea, senior analyst for Wood Mackenzie Power and Renewables