Everyone knows the saying, “If you build it, they will come.” Well, when it comes to solar PV installations, the relevant phrase is, “If you subsidize it, they will build it.” Just look to the case of Pennsylvania.

PA Governor Edward Rendell announced yesterday that the state’s Sunshine Solar Rebate Program has helped to double the state’s solar generation capacity in less than six months.

“When we enacted the PA Sunshine program, we said it was going to help reduce electricity bills for consumers, make solar energy more affordable, create economic opportunities, and help produce more renewable energy that will help improve our environment,” said Governor Rendell.

“PA Sunshine is putting people to work across the state doing everything from manufacturing solar technologies to installing and maintaining them, while helping people and businesses become less dependent on the electrical grid and other fossil fuels, which saves them money. And because of the program, we’re also emerging as a national leader in developing and deploying solar technology. With the projects this program is making possible and others in the works, it is likely that we will be among the top five states for total solar capacity within the next year,” he added.

Since the program opened on May 18th, the state has committed $12.5 million to 625 residential and commercial projects, statewide. According to the Department of Environmental Protection, the projects attracted an additional $50 million in private investment. More than 300 installers have become certified to install solar PV systems in the state, as required by the Sunshine Solar Rebate Program’s eligibility rules.

As Pennsylvania is proving, financial incentives remain a key ingredient to spurring demand for solar energy. California and New Jersey, the two biggest solar markets in the country, have had such incentives in place for a number of years. Here’s to hoping more states continue to follow their — and Pennsylvania’s — lead.