Montana’s Solar Guy in Billings Wednesday

Referred to by many as Montana’s “Solar Guy”, Brad Van Wert was in Billings Wednesday, talking to a crowd of approximately 100 people about solar electricity’s affordability and improved technology at the Last Chance Pub and Cider Mill.  His message is simple; solar is about freedom to choose.  Van Wert is the co-owner of Bozeman-based Harvest Solar, and his speaking tour is sponsored by ChargeMT, a collaborative which includes Renewable Northwest, the Montana Renewable Energy Association, NW Energy Coalition, and Forward Montana Foundation.

Montana is 44th in the nation in installed solar capacity.  Of the 300 thousand nationwide, only about 150 Montanans make a living in the solar industry.  Montana’s Public Service Commission has limited solar arrays at businesses to 50 kilowatts, and Senate Bill 78, under consideration today in the legislature, would pay less to solar electricity customers who use net metering.