ICYMI: In Senate Hearing, SEIA President and CEO Testifies on Need to Keep Permit Certainty at Center of Permitting Reform to Keep Americans’ Energy Bills Down

WASHINGTON D.C. — In case you missed it, today, Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), testified in front of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee during the committee’s hearing examining federal environmental review and permitting processes. Watch Hopper’s testimony here.

During her testimony and in answering senators’ questions, Hopper emphasized the need for permitting reform to prioritize permit certainty and equal treatment of all energy sources, as well as accelerating transmission buildout, in order to keep energy prices down for Americans.

On how solar + storage can keep Americans’ electric bills down:

Abigail Ross Hopper, President and CEO of SEIA: “[T]he United States is experiencing an affordability crisis. The most effective way to address that is through greater buildout of solar and storage. Unsubsidized solar is now the cheapest source of electricity in history in much of the country. With no fuel costs, solar provides a hedge against natural gas price volatility that continues to cause electricity price spikes. The only way to put downward pressure on prices is by bringing more power online, not less. States with higher levels of deployment of solar and storage, like Texas, are experiencing lower and more stable electricity prices. Streamlining permitting is essential to addressing the energy affordability crisis American households and businesses are facing.”

On ensuring that permitting reform remains technology-neutral:

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR): “Ms. Ross Hopper, Arkansas is currently seeing major investments in AI and cloud infrastructure, including a multi-billion dollar data center in Little Rock and West Memphis. Arkansas was able to land these investments in part because of a reliable, affordable, and all-of-the-above energy supply including solar. What steps should we take to ensure that permitting reform remains technology-neutral, encouraging diverse investments in a state like Arkansas?”

Hopper: “[A]ll across the country, including in Arkansas…big data centers are looking to find the electrons as quickly as they can. Solar and storage often are part of the solution. You will never hear me say they need to be 100% of the solution.

“[Y]ou’ve heard unanimity here around technology-neutral, technology agnostic solutions, not weaponizing the permitting system…that means that you have clear timelines so that every project regardless of the source of the energy has the same kind of timeline, same kind of environmental reviews–they’ll be different based on the technology but they should be standard and predictable.

“[B]eing clear about the certainty and the finality of final decisions and final permits is critical. And lastly, making sure that whoever is in the White House and in the Administration does not take the ability to weaponize inter-agency permitting.”

On the need to end the permitting slowdown at the Department of Interior and unlock solar and storage:

Hopper: “America’s solar companies are manufacturing and deploying the power we need to keep the lights on and keep prices affordable. To ensure a reliable grid and put downward pressure on prices, permitting reform is essential. SEIA strongly supports these bipartisan efforts to improve the process for energy and transmission projects.

“Permitting reform must begin with this basic principle: projects that enter the federal permitting process must be allowed to move through that process in good faith and without unfair treatment based on energy source. And once a project receives a permit, that permit should be honored.”

On the consequences of federal actions causing the delays of under-construction energy projects:

U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD): “Ms. Ross Hopper, my colleagues and I have raised concerns in this committee about the Administration’s failure to implement laws as Congress intended and directed. This has real consequences on the ground in our states that are worth discussing. So Ms. Ross Hopper, what are the consequences for our country’s energy systems, consumers, and workforce if federal agencies continue to delay, reopen, or cancel projects that have already been approved?

Hopper: “Thank you to my home senator for that question. I will echo what others have said and I will put a finer point on the cost. You heard about reliability, which is a huge risk, especially in weather like we’re having today or incredibly hot weather. Even if we have rolling brownouts, that’s incredibly impactful, especially to people with medical needs who need electricity.

“But in addition, prices continue to go up. We are all experiencing that. I feel it when I open my electricity bill. I know others do as well. So when electrons that were supposed to be delivered and are no longer available because we weren’t able to finish the project, [that] puts some more pressure on the system and prices will go up. So it impacts all of us.”

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About SEIA®: 

The Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) is leading the transformation to a clean energy economy. SEIA works with its 1,200 member companies and other strategic partners to fight for policies that create jobs in every community and shape fair market rules that promote competition and the growth of reliable, low-cost solar power. Founded in 1974, SEIA is the national trade association for the solar and solar + storage industries, building a comprehensive vision for the Solar+ Decade through research, education and advocacy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org and follow @SEIA on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.