Solar Businesses Ready to Roll with Clean Power

WASHINGTON, DC - More than 500 solar industry leaders from hundreds of businesses issued a letter to the White House today, endorsing limits on carbon pollution from power plants and advocating that solar energy become a focal point of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan.

“As solar power installers, manufacturers, designers, aggregators, product suppliers, and consultants, we welcome the unveiling of the Clean Power Plan,” reads the letter, organized by the advocacy group Environment America. “This plan is a critical step toward transforming our energy system to one that protects our health and environment, and that of our children.” 

To address the growing threat of climate change, in June the U.S. EPA proposed a requirement that power plants nationwide cut carbon emissions 30 percent by 2030. The plan is open for public comment until December 1^st, and is due to become final next year.

Solar businesses said they were ready and eager to help meet and exceed the pollution reductions proposed by EPA.

“As a nation, we’re poised to finally turn the page from sooty smokestacks to sunnier skies -  and America’s solar energy industry is uniquely positioned to play a key role in the fight against climate change,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). “Look at what’s happening today. There’s enough solar in the country right now to power more than 3 million American homes, and we’re just scratching the surface of our potential.”

Solar power is on the rise across in the U.S., where every four minutes another home or business goes solar. According to the latest solar jobs census from the Solar Foundation, the solar industry employed roughly 143,0000 people in 2013, adding more new employees last year than any other sector.

“Solar creates jobs and spurs job training at all levels and in all communities, and grows the economies of solar-friendly states,” said Polly Shaw, Vice President for Government Affairs at SunEdison. “And clear, long-term policy signals like the EPA’s Clean Power Plan give manufacturing leaders like SunEdison the confidence to invest in new technology and infrastructure innovations.” 

As solar power capacity in the U.S. has grown, its costs have fallen dramatically, dropping 51 percent since the start of 2011. Declining prices are one reason solar is becoming more accessible, more versatile, and more equipped to play a big role in carbon pollution reductions, industry leaders said.

“Solar power delivers significant environmental and financial benefits to consumers,” said Vikram Aggarwal, CEO of EnergySage, the online marketplace for solar power systems. “The timing for this proposal couldn’t be better. The Clean Power Plan will help the solar industry to reach more households more quickly, accelerating and amplifying solar’s impact on preventing climate change.”

“Our industry is already installing solar panels on many thousands of farms, schools, churches, businesses, and homes, providing individuals and companies the freedom to produce their own energy while securing their future,” said Jeff Wolfe, chairman of groSolar and an industry consultant. “We’re poised to be a key player in economically tackling global warming pollution.”

A recent Union of Concerned Scientists study shows that renewable energy sources could play an even greater role in the Clean Power Plan than initially projected by EPA, achieving nationwide reductions in carbon pollution of up to 40 percent.

“The climate crisis demands that we fulfill our vast potential for solar energy,” said Rob Sargent, Energy Program Director with Environment America, “and businesses across the nation are ready to rise to the challenge.”

###

About SEIA:

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA® is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to champion the use of clean, affordable solar in America by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org.

About Environment America:

Environment America is the federation of 29 statewide, citizen based advocacy organizations working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future.

About SunEdison:

SunEdison develops, finances, operates and monitors solar energy solutions worldwide, ranging from some of the world’s largest solar deployments to our residential customers’ rooftops.

About EnergySage:

EnergySage is the industry’s leading online marketplace for solar, helping consumers compare quotes from multiple pre-screened installers in an apples-to-apples format across all financing options. The marketplace reduces prices and makes solar PV systems more accessible to the mass market.

About groSolar:

For over 15 years, groSolar has consistently been one of the nation’s leading solar firms providing the highest quality and innovative solutions for commercial and utility solar energy generation.

Media Contacts:

Ken Johnson, SEIA Vice President of Communications, kjohnson@seia.org (202) 556-2885

Elizabeth Ouzts, elizabetho@environmentamerica.org (919) 672-9803

Rob Sargent, rsargent@environmentamerica.org (617) 312-7546

Gordon Handelsman, ghandelsman@sunedison.com (650) 632-6120

Vikram Aggarwal, vikram@energysage.com (617)396-7243

Jeff Wolfe, jeffery.wolfe@gmail.com (802) 236-1389