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.
Abigail Ross Hopper: Welcome to the Solar+ Decade
Recognizing the need for a clear vision and bold action, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has set a new goal for the solar industry: to make solar account for 20 percent of all U.S. electricity generation by 2030. To get there, SEIA has designated the 2020s the Solar+ Decade, recognizing the fact that the industry will need to both aggressively pursue policies to facilitate solar deployment while also collaborating with other technologies to make it happen.
A Solar Victory in South Carolina
The solar industry won a transformative victory at the South Carolina Statehouse last week when the state Legislature unanimously passed the Energy Freedom Act, a sweeping bill that will help significantly lower electricity costs and create jobs in the Palmetto State. SEIA was instrumental in securing this win through advocacy, external affairs and public education alongside a broad coalition of industry groups. We began with the following goals:
Abigail Ross Hopper: Prioritizing Equity in the Clean Energy Transition
When I first entered the solar industry over two years ago as the new CEO of SEIA, I came in with three priorities:
The University of Chicago RPS “Study” Sets a Debunking-Minded #EnergyTwitter on Fire
#EnergyTwitter exploded yesterday when a story broke on what many agreed was a half-baked study out of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. We hate to even restate the bogus premise. It was that renewable portfolio standards may reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but are costly compared to other approaches to addressing climate change. WHERE THEY GOT IT WRONG
Congress Must Pass Storage ITC Legislation to Strengthen Grid Reliability & Security
Over the last few years, experts and thought leaders in the energy field have echoed a popular refrain: solar + storage is the future. New legislation introduced last week in the U.S. Congress could mean that future is closer than we think.
Tariffs Take a Bite Out of American Solar Jobs
Last week marked one year since the Trump administration implemented steep tariffs on imported solar cells and modules, ending nearly a year of turmoil and uncertainty for the solar industry and its quarter-of-a-million workers.
Move Over Tom Brady, Solar Is the Real Super Bowl MVP
As over 70,000 superfans pour into the sports event of the year this Sunday, they should know what’s making this game possible – solar energy.
California Solar Building Requirement Crosses Finish Line
California made history back in May when the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved a new policy that will require virtually all new homes in the state to incorporate solar energy starting in 2020. Today that history was cemented with the California Building Standards Commission’s (CBSC) unanimous approval of the CEC’s Title 24 energy code amendments.
SEIA’s Proposal to Fix Key Aspect of New York’s Solar Tariff Gains Momentum
A federal government report from last Friday is the latest in a wide body of scientific studies that lay bare the growing economic impacts of climate change. States are key to this battle, and New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo has consistently been a leader. He has introduced ambitious plans to meet 50 percent of the state’s electricity needs with clean energy by 2030.
Solar Costs Now Lower Than Coal and Even Natural Gas
Solar costs have been falling so fast over the last few years that we understand if you haven’t kept up. But a new report from the renowned financial firm Lazard marks a definitive turning point: Solar energy is more cost effective than traditional power sources even without tax subsidies.