State tax rebates and incentives have also contributed significantly to industry growth in Arkansas, which has allowed the company to hire people on as full-time employees instead of contractors, Brown said.

State investment in solar has been pushing much of the industry growth. But some states have seen more than others.

Will Hegman, who owns Mississippi Solar, has been discouraged by his state’s handling of Federal clean energy monies.

He’d hired half a dozen highly-qualified people and trained them and kept them on his payroll in anticipation of getting a good number of big projects. He’d been doing good business, about $200,000-worth a year, he said.

“But then we were looking at getting $10 million grants,” he said.

When the finding didn’t come through, Hegman said he had to let people go. He’s still hoping some of the projects will happen, but he’s not hopeful that much of the funding earmarked for Mississippi clean energy projects will go to solar development.

While, solar industry growth isn’t coming up roses in every state, the overall growth has made big news the last few weeks, and industry analysts expect it will continue.

Pictured: Installers from Mississippi Solar work on the Lomax project. Image courtesy of Mississippi Solar.