Hartford Business Journal

10 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | FEBRUARY 9, 2026 West Hartford–based Verogy developed this 3-megawatt solar array on Wickham Street in Glastonbury, which generates enough electricity to power 778 average homes for a year. Contributed Photo 'Organized Chaos' CT businesses rush to start solar projects before federal tax credit expires advance projects before the dead- line, some firms lacking the capital to start construction are selling or transferring projects to better-financed companies that can move quickly, industry officials said. That dynamic is reshaping the market, according to Jenna Dobbins, head of marketing at West Hartford-based solar developer Verogy. "There's been a consolidation of the marketplace, a shuffling around of projects, just to get them to that start of construction," Dobbins said. Fidel said businesses considering solar may want to move soon if they hope to qualify for the federal tax credit, but noted projects can still be viable even if the deadline is missed. "If they're not ready right now, it's not as if solar is all of a sudden no longer going to make sense," she said. "Solar is going to continue to make sense for businesses in Connecticut because of our high utility rates." Strong pipeline The timeline for completing a solar development ranges from less than a year for simple rooftop projects to three to eight years for larger, more complex ground-mount installations. While the permitting process can take years, Dobbins said solar is still faster to deploy than other energy sources. In Connecticut, Verogy — which focuses on commercial, industrial and small utility-scale projects — has six projects totaling 26.9 MW actively under construction or recently completed. They include facilities in Glastonbury, Windsor, East Windsor, Stafford, Franklin and Woodstock. The company also has a 1.97-MW project in Willington pending before the Connecticut Siting Council, the state agency that reviews and approves most solar and other electric generating facilities larger than 1 MW. That proposal, along with By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com C onnecticut's commercial solar industry faces a blitz as businesses and developers scramble to launch projects before a July 4 deadline that dictates whether they may qualify for an expiring federal tax credit. The urgency prompted New Haven- based solar developer Jefferson Solar LLC to petition state regulators for expedited approval, warning of a "continuing assault on the construction of solar energy by the federal government." The state Siting Council approved the company's proposed 2-megawatt facility in North Branford at its Jan. 8 meeting. The federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) has been around for decades and was established to spur renew- able energy development. It allows commercial solar project owners to claim 30% of their installation costs as a federal tax credit. Now, under new rules enacted last summer under the One Big Beau- tiful Bill, projects must either begin construction by July 4, or reach full operation by Dec. 31, 2027, to qualify for the ITC — effectively setting an end date for the incentive. Developers are rushing to launch projects to capture the tax benefit before it disappears, industry experts said. "It's kind of organized chaos right now," said Mike Trahan, executive director of the Connecticut Solar and Storage Association. Reshaping the market Danielle Fidel, chief commer- cialization officer at Earthlight Technolo- gies, said her company has been "completely slammed" helping businesses navigate the deadline. The Ellington-based solar developer doubled its contract volume in 2025 from a year earlier, driven largely by a second-half surge of customers seeking to secure the ITC, she said. Earthlight is adding sales and construction staff to meet rising demand. The company handles engi- neering, procurement and construc- tion in-house and expects a major build-out this year as new contracts come in. Much of the rush centers on federal rules that define when a project is considered to have started construc- tion. For projects under 1.5 MW, businesses can qualify by spending more than 5% of total project costs rather than physically breaking ground. Larger projects must show on-site construction activity. To help clients meet that threshold, Earthlight uses a strategy known as "safe harboring," Fidel said, which involves buying key equipment before the deadline. "We're taking 7% of the total project cost and purchasing safe harbor solar panels that we're warehousing for them until installation, so that they can show that they have incurred at least the 5% for start of construction," Fidel said. That approach gives businesses flexibility to work through lengthy regulatory approvals without losing access to the incentive. Among its recent work, Earthlight is developing a 372-kilowatt solar array paired with a 555-KW battery for East Hartford steel fabricator United Steel, with installation expected in late 2026 or early 2027. United Steel made a safe-harbor payment for solar modules, preserving its ITC eligibility, Fidel said. As solar developers push to CONNECTICUT ELECTRICITY GENERATION MIX ENERGY SOURCE SHARE OF IN-STATE NET GENERATION NATURAL GAS 60% NUCLEAR 33% SOLAR ~4% BIOMASS + HYDROELECTRIC + PETROLEUM ~3% WIND MINOR COAL 0% Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Danielle Fidel Jenna Dobbins 2 0 2 3

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