As the solar revolution picks up even more speed, a growing number of utilities and municipalities are jumping on the bandwagon, but they need the right partners to succeed.

For the past five years, the solar revolution has continued almost unabated as more consumers found solar energy to be an excellent investment, both to improve their homes’ value and reduce their electricity bills.

Often, however, the largest obstacle to commercial and community solar installations, at least until recently, has been the utilities. Frequently state regulated, with guaranteed profits and with an enormous fossil-fuel infrastructure, utilities have seen solar as direct competition. After all, having customers produce their own power flies in the face of traditional, centralized electricity distribution.