Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons
Minnesota solar installers say they have continued their work on rooftops without any interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, AP News reports.
Gov. Tim Walz’s emergency stay-at-home executive order permits limited businesses to remain open amid the coronavirus crisis. However, the majority of those companies in the energy industry, like Minnesota solar installers, are included under the governor's exemption.
David Shaffer, who is the executive director of the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association, said Walz’s executive order is one of the most relaxed orders in the nation.
“We have had one of the most relaxed governor orders in the country,” Shaffer told the Energy News Network (ENN). “Minnesota has had it pretty easy when it comes to installing projects.”
Shaffer says solar installer employees are provided with a downloadable letter to present to law enforcement if they are ever questioned.
"The association provided members with a downloadable letter should enforcement agencies question their status. It did not give specific advice on managing COVID-19 risk, but many installers practice social distancing and require employees to wear personal protective equipment," Shaffer told ENN.
Shaffer told the AP that solar companies have been working since the beginning of the pandemic. He said that installers hired more people into the field in April. This came amid the governor’s order clarifying solar energy as an “essential service.”
According to the Energy News Network, Shaffer said that the federal investment tax credit comes to an end in 2022 for private customers. Shaffer said that the Xcel’s Solar Rewards incentive program expires in 2021. It could be “a rough year” for the solar industry if local homeowners and companies choose to cancel ongoing projects, he said.
Shaffer added that solar energy is presently one of the most demanded energy sources. He said the solar industry is a consistent market.
“Community solar in Minnesota just plugs along, it’s a very consistent market,” Shaffer said.
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