Nearly 650 solar companies sent a letter to Congress on July 13 galvanizing support for legislation that deploys clean energy to help rebuild the U.S. economy.
The letter calls on members of Congress to pass legislation that would push out deadlines for the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and create a direct pay option, both of which would help the economy recover from COVID-19. As of the end of June, 72,000 solar jobs had been lost as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Job creation isn’t a partisan issue and we should be looking to job producers in the solar industry to help lead us out of this economic crisis,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “With small policy changes, the solar industry can quickly and efficiently create jobs and add billions of dollars in investment. If lawmakers want to put Americans back to work, they should invest in solutions that can unleash the economic power of solar, one of the fastest-growing industries in America.”
According to recent polling, the vast majority of Americans in both parties want Congress to prioritize clean energy in future economic recovery legislation, and the policies laid out in this letter have a history of strong bipartisan support.
A key element of the solar industry’s advocacy focuses on recovery legislation that also addresses longstanding and systemic inequities in the economy, including the energy sector. The letter calls for provisions to create a more diverse energy workforce, invest in workforce training and establish programs that increase solar access for lower income communities.
The companies that signed onto the letter employ Americans in all 50 states and represent every part of the solar supply chain, from manufacturers to installers and financiers.
News item from SEIA
The coronavirus and its effect on our industry is not to blame for our financial woes. The solar industry has for years been surviving off of the U.S. taxpayers’ money, one year at a time. Having to beg Congress every year, is embarrassing. At some point, we need to make some rational, financial changes in the way we do business. I don’t believe that writing letters to our representatives in Washington and invoking a recent virus outbreak as an excuse to ask for money, is the honest thing to do.
Maybe the answer to our survival, is to have a responsible conversation about our longevity as an industry. Maybe we should start running our businesses like businesses, and not like charitable organizations.