With solar energy being not only one of the fastest growing industries in the world but also one of the only industries that’s growing at all in this economy, it’s no wonder states are trying to lure clean energy companies to move in.

Missouri is one of those states.

And while the state has made strides and is working toward a greener economy, industry leaders say there’s still room for improvement.

The Missouri Partnership, a public private non-profit corporation, which works closely with the Missouri Department of Economic Development, issued a press release earlier this week outlining the advantages of doing solar business in the “Show me” state.

The release sites the state’s 200 sunny days a year, central location and solid manufacturing base as enticements for solar industry executives to move their operations in.

The release also details the dramatic growth in affordability of solar created by 2008 legislation to require utility companies to get 15 percent of their power from renewable sources, including 2 percent from solar, by 2021.

The legislation makes Missouri one of just 16 states with renewable portfolio standards that include specific provisions for solar, according to the release.

But what the release doesn’t note is that the utilities didn’t eagerly embrace the new portfolio standards and that still just two of the state’s three major utility companies offer the $2 per watt rebate that the legislation requires for solar arrays up to 25 kilowatts, said Dane Glueck, president of the Missouri Solar Energy Industries Association.

“We have made some big progress in Missouri,” he said.

There were just five solar installers, including Glueck’s Straight Up Solar, three or four years ago. Now there are more than 30 in the state, and most are getting good business.

But up until a couple months ago, there was a lot of uncertainty in the industry as opponents to the renewable portfolio standard challenged the rebate requirement in the courts, arguing that it was unconstitutional to require utility companies to pay it.

But, the courts came through with a final ruling recently that deems the rebate requirement affordable, Glueck said.

The next step now will be to address the one utility company that is not participating in the rebate for solar installations.

Glueck said industry growth has been phenomenal in Missouri. Most of the installations have been residential and small commercial systems that qualify for the rebate.

But the Missouri Partnership also detailed some utility-scale projects going in.

The state, despite some hurdles, is poised for growth in the solar industry. The release sites a study published by Arizona State University professor Matt Croucher who reported that Missouri is the fourth best state in the country for solar development.

Pictured: Straight Up Solar’s Dane Glueck on the left, courtesy of Straight Up Solar.