Solar Power Tariff Incentive Spurns Boom In Gainsville Solar Industry

GAINESVILLE, FL - APRIL 16: Dustin Rodgers, who works for ECS Solar Energy Systems, Inc, installs a solar panel system on the roof of a home on April 16, 2009 in Gainesville, Florida. Recently the city of Gainesville through a program initiated by the local Gainesville Regional Utilities became the first city in the nation to have a solar feed-in tariff ordinance, which means owners of new solar photovoltaic systems will be eligible to receive 32 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity produced by the system over the next 20 years. The new program has produced a spurt of solar installation projects around the city. Other states and cities around the nation are eyeing the feed-in tariff program as a renewable energy program they might be interested in doing. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)