For contractors looking for new business opportunities, offering solar energy might be the wave of the future.

Verizon Communications Inc. has announced plans to nearly double its capacity to generate clean, reliable, affordable solar energy. This year, Verizon will install 10.2 MW of new solar systems at eight Verizon facilities located in five states.

Sharp Electronics Corp. has announced the launch of its SmartStorage energy storage solution, which is immediately available throughout California and will be expanded to other states in the second half of 2014. According to the company, the system can significantly cut utility demand charges for commercial and industrial buildings. 

Bardi Heating, Cooling and Plumbing has announced that, through Aug. 22, it is offering four free solar panels with the purchase of a high-efficiency 21-SEER Lennox heating and cooling system with 0 percent financing.

NRG Home Solar, a leading residential solar company, announced that it is expanding its operations into Connecticut. The company said it will provide homeowners with the opportunity to install solar for little to no upfront costs via leasing.

Following a weak performance during the first six months of the year, the global solar photovoltaic (PV) supply chain is set for strong 24 percent growth in the second half of 2014, driven by surging installations, according to IHS Technology.

IKEA has officially plugged-in an expansion of the solar rooftop array on its Perryville, Maryland, distribution center. The company said installation of the new solar panels nearly doubles the size of the original project, which already was the state’s largest rooftop array.

Vista Solar, a California commercial solar electric design and installation firm, announced that it will install a 160-kW solar system for food and wine distributor, Lettieri & Company.

More than half of global energy consumers would consider installing connected-home solutions or solar panels in the next five years, according to a new survey by Accenture.