Jun. 23—The future of Sam Zuckerman’s company felt much more certain six months ago.
Zuckerman, owner of Brunswick-based Maine Solar Solutions, said the business has grown steadily over the last few years, buoyed in part by federal income tax reductions that cover nearly a third of a new residential solar system. Home systems can cost more than $20,000, meaning reductions can be five-digit sums. Those credits have existed for years and, under current law, aren’t slated to expire until the 2030s.
But that could soon change with Congress’ budget reconciliation bill, which gives the incentives a new expiration date of about six months from now.
“We made investments in the business to meet the demand that we’ve seen,” Zuckerman said in a phone interview. “And now we’re going to be hitting the brakes.”
Like many in Maine’s solar industry, Zuckerman worries that losing the credits could drive down demand before business owners are able to adapt. Though some appreciate the environmental benefit, Zuckerman said his customers are primarily drawn to solar by the promise of lower — or nonexistent — electricity bills, so he expects to see a sharp decline. The company has no debt and relatively little overhead costs, he said, so the business itself would survive, but its capacity to hire crews and install panels would be significantly cut down.
“Frankly, if we see a significant reduction in the amount of solar electric customers, we’re going to be facing layoffs, which is really painful,” Zuckerman said. “These are employees that we brought up and brought them into the trade.”
Founded in 2013, the company now employs about 50 people, more than half of whom work in the field, with three crews dedicated to installations in a roughly two-hour radius surrounding Brunswick. Two years ago, Maine Solar Solutions began offering a state-certified apprenticeship program, which helps the company cover employees’ education. Zuckerman said that’s helped attract and retain new talent, including those who may be on the fence about a trade. These days, nearly half the company’s licensed electricians were trained in-house, he said.
ROOM TO GROW
At a worksite in Freeport Tuesday, several employees said those opportunities for professional development were part of what attracted them to the company, and the solar field in general.
Josh Herreid joined the team about a year and a half ago, and he decided to pursue a license about six months in. Herreid previously worked in carpentry, where he made about $20 an hour and lacked a clear path for advancement.
Installers at the company make between $26 and $32 per hour, while licensed electricians see $35 to $50 per hour, Zuckerman said.
“I liked the electrical aspect, but honestly it kind of lured me in with the pay to start,” Herreid said. “This is the first job where I feel like there’s an opportunity to move forward.”
The 25-year-old lives in New Gloucester with his mother, a traveling nurse, but he dreams of owning a home one day — and having the skills to maintain it.
Herreid has heard bits of news about the budget bill from social media and company-wide emails Zuckerman sends, but he has not been following the legislation closely. The constant flood of news is overwhelming, and it can be difficult to keep up with one issue without becoming “numb to the whole situation,” he said. But the uncertainty is worrisome.
“If I did lose this job, that would be seriously devastating to me, because I feel like I put all my cards into this,” Herreid said. “I wouldn’t know where else to go.”
For Alma Lyons, working as a solar technician presented a doorway to the trades. The 28-year-old started working at Maine Solar Solutions about three months ago, after years of searching for an apprenticeship program.
Lyons has a degree in illustration but said “that didn’t really click” as a career. Neither did food service, where she worked for years without finding any real chance for growth or professional development. Between her desire for hands-on work and her passion for the environment, working as a solar technician seemed like a perfect fit.
“When I got this position, I was like ‘This is literally my dream job,’ ” she said. “The potential for advancement is really important.”
She got the job and moved from New Hampshire to Portland — where her girlfriend already lived — in the same week.
“Everything fell into place, for sure,” she said.
Lyons plans to work as an installer for a few more years before transitioning to another role in the renewable industry. But, right now, she’s expecting a few more months of uncertainty.
“I hope to have a job for another eight months, worst case,” Lyons said. “All I can do is what I do each day. It’s not worth me biting my nails when I’m going to bed.”
NO TIME TO PLAN
The residential solar investment credit has existed, in some form, for nearly two decades, having been extended and retooled several times since, according to North Carolina State University’s NC Clean Energy Technology Center. It was last renewed as part of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which extended the 30% limit through 2032, after which it would step down to 26% in 2033 and 22% through 2034, when it would expire.
But the House of Representatives’ budget reconciliation bill includes provisions to terminate the solar investment and a handful of other clean energy credits at the end of the year, including similar credits for businesses that install solar systems. The Senate Finance Committee, in its draft, pegged the terminations to six months after the bill’s enactment, rather than a static date at the end of 2025.
“We built our business around these incentives being in place for our customers,” said Dan Clapp, co-founder of Revision Energy, a solar installer based in South Portland. “The IRA just gave us a long runway to build our business strategy.”
Clapp said it can take three to six months to complete a residential project. Commercial projects can take more than a year to design and implement.
“If these are going away, they have to be responsibly phased down based on project cycles. Businesses need certainty to plan around,” he said.
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