Installer rises with the sun.

• Position: Charlotte - SunEnergy 1 LLC - Brief article

North Carolina is a hot spot for solar energy, thanks to legislation requiring alternative-power production and tax breaks for those creating it. SunEnergy 1 LLC, a Mooresville-based solar-panel installer, has taken advantage of the spike, its contracts jumping from about $50 million last year to an estimated $130 million in 2012. Founded in 2009, it claims to have installed more than 40% of commercial systems built in the state and finished four--three for others, one for itself--of more than 1 megawatt capacity in 2011. A megawatt can power about 200 homes annually. Electricity generated by the systems is sold to utilities or used on-site.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Shoe Show Inc.

Location: Kannapolis

Size: 5.2 megawatts

Type: rooftop

Cost: $27 million

Power: sold to utility

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SunEnergy 1

Location: Plymouth

Size: 2.5 megawatts

Type: ground-mounted

Cost: not available

Power: sold to utility

Old Dominion

Location: Thomasville

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