While 75,000 jobs in a single valley sounds like a lot, some people may shake their heads and say, “California, of course.”

But Arkansas, with its lack of clean energy incentives, has seen tremendous growth as well.

“In terms of kilowatt hours and production,” said Stellar Sun owner Bill Ball, “Arkansas isn’t even on the map. But when you look at it in terms of growth, we’re probably number one.”

Stellar Solar, which Ball started in the mid 1970s, was the only solar installer in the state for a long time, Ball said. Up until three years ago, there were only 51 residential solar systems in the whole state, he said. The number has more than doubled in the last couple years, Ball said.

Ball started his business and concentrated on solar water heating systems when President Jimmy Carter installed panels on the White House and created tax incentives. After Ronald Reagan dismantled the White House Solar system and got rid of the incentives, business was tough for Ball.

“I used to joke that I was self-unemployed,” he said. “Now the joke is that I’m an overnight success.”

He credits that success to a pilot grid feed-in tariff program funded by the state’s energy department. It pays residential customers $1.50 per kilowatt hour for a year and commercial businesses $0.75 per kilowatt hour.

Ball had two employees and did slow but steady business installing systems. When he learned about the pilot program, he told customers to wait until it started.
“That left us twirling our thumbs,” he said.

The two guys working for him had to take a temporary gig planting trees in Texas until the program came online last year.

In addition to his two full-time employees, Ball works with several teams of contractors to install big projects, including on Energy Star neighborhood outside of Little Rock.

“I anticipate those are the jobs that are going to grow the most,” he said of contracted positions.

He is working with the state electricians and plumbers certifying bodies to see if they can create accredited programs to train professionals already in those industries on how to work with solar electric and solar water systems.

He’s also hoping the Arkansas State legislature will approve a permanent electrical grid feed-in tariff program.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” he said.

But he’s confident that even if the government money doesn’t come, the nation and even Arkansas is heading in the green direction with enough momentum that business won’t stop.

“The more people who get it, you know,” Ball said, “their neighbors want it then.”

Susan Brown, the vice president of business development and marketing who was excited to have health care at The Energy Savings Store, has also noticed a big change in how the country views solar projects.

“The awareness has changed,” she said. “A few years ago you couldn’t even say the word environment without people thinking you were a whacko. Now it’s kind of mainstream.” she said.

Brown got involved with The Energy Savings Store when she joined a successful protest against a coal-burning power plant near her home outside of Kansas City, Mo, in 2003.

Story continues here.

Pictured: Installers from Stellar Sun stand behind a newly completed solar array. Image courtesy of Stellar Sun.