SEIA Resources

Section 201 Solar Tariffs

On Jan. 23, 2018, President Trump signed a proclamation that placed tariffs on imported solar cells and modules for a period of four years. This decision came on the heels of a nearly 9-month case before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) after two solar manufacturers, Suniva and SolarWorld, filed a petition seeking tariffs. The final tariff will have significant negative impacts on the entire solar industry, from manufacturing and distribution to installation and finance.

PURPA 101

In 1978, Congress passed the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) to encourage fuel diversity via alternative energy sources and to introduce competition into the electric sector. As solar prices have fallen over the last decade, PURPA has become an attractive option for solar developers. Analysts predict that PURPA will be the top driver of utility-scale solar installations moving forward. Download this PURPA 101 factsheet, which provides an overview of the law itself and the implications for solar deployment. 

Q3 2017 State Policy Update

SEIA works alongside local partners and advocates to protect existing solar markets and open new ones, by creating stable policy frameworks at the legislative and regulatory level. Download the factsheet below to see what SEIA's state affairs team has been doing to advance solar policy in the third quarter of 2017. 

Q2 2017 State Solar Policy Update

SEIA is hard at work in states across the country to ensure existing solar markets remain open and robust, and to expand new market opportunities. Take a look at what our staff has been working on through the first half of 2017

Solar & Renewables Benefit the Grid and the U.S. Economy

Recently, the value to the national electric grid of solar and other renewable energy sources has been questioned.  As can be seen from the numerous studies referenced in this paper, solar and renewables provide significant benefits to the national grid in terms of reliability, fuel diversity, and security.  In addition, the 9,000 American solar companies employ over 260,000 American workers and invest tens of billions of dollars every year into the American economy.

Net Metering in Massachusetts: Raise the Caps

End-of-Life Considerations for Photovoltaics

The falling cost of solar has made renewable energy accessible to more people than ever before and has resulted in an exponential increase in solar adoption. With more than 400 gigawatts (GWdc) of photovoltaic (PV) modules installed globally (including 62 GWdc in the U.S. through 2018), end-of-life management is important for all PV technologies to ensure clean energy solutions are a sustainable component of the energy economy for future generations.

Q4 2016 Clean Power Plan & Midwest Policy Update

SEIA’s State Policy team works in state legislatures and state regulatory agencies, advocating for policies that will create, expand, and defend solar markets, and increase the competitiveness of the technologies and product offered by our member companies. In addition to our direct work in SEIA’s priority states, SEIA is working to ensure that the Clean Power Plan survives court challenge and is eventually implemented by EPA in a manner that maximizes solar deployment.

Q4 2016 State Solar Policy Update

CaliforniaWith a 50% RPS and full retail net metering in place, SEIA is working to ensure the value of these victories is realized through continued work on RPS implementation, rate design and solar grid integration.

The Solar Industry and U.S. Veterans

SEIA is committed to meeting a goal of 50,000 U.S. military veterans in the solar workforce by 2020. Find out what the industry is doing to bring vets into solar.