“The next two weeks is an important time…I would encourage folks to literally call up their District Office…Tell them…not just what we have done but what we will not do if this certainty goes away.”
Abby Hopper, President & CEO of SEIA
In this episode of Good Energy, Abby Hopper, President and CEO of SEIA, discusses the state of energy policy in Washington, D.C., from the tariffs put in place by the Trump Administration to the fight to preserve clean energy tax credits on Capitol Hill.
Hopper notes that uncertainty surrounding trade policy hurts SEIA members in the long-term as they attempt to make business decisions for the next several years. On the clean energy tax credits side, she feels confident that elected officials on Capitol Hill recognize their benefits, and the solar energy industry is able to bring in a number of outside stakeholders who also support these credits.
Hopper encourages SEIA members to reach out to their federal elected officials and try to set up a meeting with their representatives or their staffers in order to give a firsthand account of the benefits of clean energy tax credits for local businesses. As energy affordability remains a prime concern for representatives and voters, solar advocates should emphasize to their elected officials that these tax credits are essential to keeping energy costs low. If clean energy tax credits are repealed, then only higher-cost energy sources will be available to consumers.
As the country experiences growing energy demand, Hopper emphasizes that solar is the quickest energy technology to deploy. President Trump argues for American Energy Dominance, and SEIA agrees. In order to be energy dominant, the country must take no energy options off the table. Hopper’s three main advocacy points for solar are its affordability, its increasingly domestic supply chain, and America’s growing energy demand. As the Congressional recess looms, she concludes by encouraging listeners to attend their representatives’ town halls, which greatly influence the perspectives and opinions of Members of Congress.
From in-depth interviews with industry leaders to insightful discussions on the rapid growth of solar and storage in the United States, Good Energy connects you with the heartbeat of the solar industry. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just curious about the future of energy, tune in to stay informed and inspired about the bright future of solar. Listen to full episodes on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
special guest
Abigail Ross Hopper
President & CEO, Solar Energy Industries Association
Abigail Ross Hopper is the president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade organization for America’s solar and storage industry. Ms. Hopper is a visionary leader who has transformed SEIA into an advocacy powerhouse and the leading voice for the U.S. solar and storage industry, a $64 billion force in our nation’s economy.
She is known for overseeing tremendous industry-wide growth in the solar and storage space, most notably, the sector’s employment of 280,000 people in the industry, the quintupling of the solar module manufacturing capacity in the U.S., and the adoption of business-friendly policies that promote American energy dominance. Ms. Hopper has been named in The Hill’s Top Lobbyist list since 2020 and has been featured in hundreds of media outlets across the country. She is also working to shepherd the next generation of the solar workforce by championing diversity efforts in the industry and through her Solar Sisters initiative. Under her tenure, SEIA has received numerous awards for its work and company culture and was named by the Washington Post as a 2023 and 2024 Top Workplace and a Best Nonprofit to Work For by the Nonprofit Times.
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