Mississippi's Solar Contractors are Bound to See More Leads
In a hot state where residents are saddled with an enormous energy cost burden, solar is an extremely attractive investment. However, in Mississippi, low household incomes and economic struggles have been an obstacle to widespread solar adoption. Only 547 homes have installed solar systems so far, ranking Mississippi as one of the states with the lowest number of solar households in the country. Fortunately, the Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC) has rolled out some new changes that will make solar far more accessible to the average citizen. These new policies are sure to bring a surge of new customers to the state’s installers.
Mississippi’s Expanded Solar Benefits MPSC has updated its net metering program to broaden benefits for homeowners. This includes raising rooftop Solar’s participation cap to 4% of peak demand. The cap has also been changed to a “non-hard” status, meaning that utility providers must obtain regulatory approval before they can refuse participation to any customers after the 4% limit is reached. The standard net metering credit has not been changed, but the MPSC did raise it for households with incomes up to 250% of the federal poverty level. These customers will receive an additional 2¢ per kWh. Residents are also now eligible for a single $3,500 upfront cash rebate for systems between 3 kW and a maximum of 110% of the customer’s expected annual usage. Altogether, these new benefits create opportunities for a huge number of low to middle-income households. The Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) Southeast Regional Director, Will Giese, touched on this once the MPSC update was announced: “LMI customers will receive additional compensation for their solar generation, and the rules now cover households that are up to 250% above the federal poverty line. This new rule will apply to almost half a million homes and over 1.2 million people in Mississippi. Other states should take note of Mississippi’s approach to ensuring solar is accessible for LMI customers.”
How Contractors Can Connect with These New Leads There is clearly tremendous room for solar growth in Mississippi, and the MPSC’s new policies are sure to spur it. Contractors will of course want to make sure they’re able to cash in on as many of these new customers as possible. Working with solar lead companies will be the most effective method to accomplish this. The best agencies, like Grid Freedom, are poised to deliver contractors immediate appointments with customers who have been put through an exceptionally thorough screening process. Contractors can focus their efforts on leads that already show promise, rather than losing time and money to organic marketing and lead generation tactics. This ensures that Mississippi installers can close deals faster and fit more customers into their calendar, giving them a chance to widen their market share when activity rises. Grid Freedom is the preferred choice because we adhere to a strict set of standards for our lead curation process, and because we offer contractors the most favorable terms. Unlike other lead companies that force bulk buys, we allow installers to purchase only the amount of leads they need. Our agency also never ties our clients down to contracts. We focus on offering the highest quality leads available in Mississippi and the rest of the nation, counting on our customers’ satisfaction to win repeat business. Start Sourcing from One of America’s Top Solar Lead Companies at www.GridFreedom.com