A Look Back: Missouri’s Solar Industry Heating Up With Recognition
- December 13, 2016
All month long Missouri Partnership is taking a look back at 31 of Missouri’s biggest stories in economic development from the past year. Today we are looking back at three Missouri communities that received top solar designations.
Kansas City, Columbia and Gladstone, Missouri each received the top-rated SolSmart Gold designation. The SolSmart program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, recognizes cities and counties for adopting programs and processes that encourage the growth of local solar markets.
The designation signaled the communities were “open for solar business” increasing their ability to attract solar industry investment, and increasing the development of local energy-related jobs.
Missouri’ solar market has grown faster than the national average since 2009. The state’s low cost of energy combined with low cost’s of living and doing business, have positioned Missouri as a Missouri as a prime location for manufacturers in the energy sector in 2017.