SEIA Solar Blog
Through our blog, SEIA staff aim to informing policymakers, the media, and the American public about the benefits of solar energy for today’s economy. Scroll down for a running feed of our blog posts. For a complete archive of press releases, blogs and other news articles, click here.
California Nearing Huge Milestone In Solar Deployment
Someone once said, “the life you live is the lesson you teach.” Well, there isn’t a better example of that than the historic “we’re all in” commitment made in 2002 by California to secure a clean energy future.
U.S. Solar Energy Industry Achieves Record-Shattering Year
Today’s new economy is driven by industries that are characterized by cutting-edge technology and high growth. Sound familiar? Well, it should.Remarkably, America’s solar energy industry, which continues to grow at a very brisk pace, now has more employees than tech giants Apple, Google, Facebook and Twitter combined. And to top it all off, 2014 turned out to be another record-shattering year!
West Virginia Legislation Poses Serious Threat To Rooftop Solar
Is it politics at play? Or simply a case of sloppy drafting? Whichever the case, West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has a tough choice to make in the next few days. Legislation now on his desk, HB 2201, could jeopardize the future of rooftop solar in the state by rewriting West Virginia’s net-metering policies. Regardless of the motives of the bill’s authors, pure or clandestine, we strongly urge Gov. Tomblin to do the right thing – veto the bill and start over.
Solar Industry Swings Back At Lies, Fake Studies
Mark Twain said it best, there are “lies, damned lies and statistics.” It’s hard to tell which is which after closely reviewing the latest hatchet job on solar energy by the Koch brothers’ front group, The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA).
Utility-Scale Projects Helping To Power Solar Growth
In a new report, the Department of Energy (DOE) has highlighted the success of the Loan Programs Office’s solar projects, saying that since it financed its first five utility-scale projects in 2011, 17 additional projects have come on line without the use of loan guarantees. The report coincides with today’s dedication ceremony of Desert Sunlight, a 550-megawatt (MW) solar project in Riverside County, California.
Solar Growth Helping To Drive U.S. Economy
Recently, I met with several Senators and other legislators to discuss the solar industry. The vast majority of them do not know that there is strong bipartisan support for solar. In the run-up to 2017, it is vital that every legislator knows people of all political persuasions support solar.
Commission Upholds Trade Tariffs On China, Triggering Setback For U.S. Solar Industry
As expected, the U.S. International Trade Commission today upheld the imposition of tariffs against Chinese and Taiwanese solar products, as part of a 2014 investigation into allegations of unfair trade practices. While it was the news we expected, it was not the news we wanted.
Drop In Oil Prices Creating Ripple Effect On Solar Stocks
Is there a correlation between oil prices and solar stocks? The answer is no, even though you’d never know that by looking at the stock market.
‘Shout Out For Solar’ Can Send Powerful Message To Lawmakers
With the 30 percent solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) set to expire at the end of 2016, we need to dramatically step up our efforts to shine a bright light on the amazing success of solar energy in America. Next week, with the new Congress just sworn in, these efforts will begin in earnest.
Solar Energy’s Rapid Growth Highlighted In New Report
People in Washington love to talk about an “all-of-the-above” national energy strategy. But usually that’s “code” or “political speak” for efforts to increase drilling around the United States. To its credit, the American Petroleum Institute (API) released a new, comprehensive report today, which gives us a look into how an “all-of-the-above” approach, including renewables, is working.