According to a report in the Las Vegas Sun, negotiations are underway over whether a forthcoming state senate bill should contain extra incentives for distributed solar, which is small-scale projects typically located on individual roofs. The alternative is larger, utility-scale solar energy projects.
The report notes that distributed solar offers some added environmental benefits by eliminating the need for infrastructure to carry the generated energy from power plants, while also helping to create more green jobs. The proposed incentive for distributed solar would apparently be funded by a surcharge on utility bills.
According to the Sun, a number of other Southwestern states already have their own incentives to help promote more individual-scale solar energy systems. The newspaper obtained a copy of the proposal, which would require 2 percent of the state's renewable energy to be generated from distributed solar systems, which often use photovoltaic panels.
Despite the policy debate, Nevada is actually well-positioned to see both aspects of its solar energy industry thrive in the future, with several significant proposed power plants as well as a large manufacturing facility having gained national attention in recent weeks.
