Photo courtesy of Sunrun.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is the most significant federal clean energy policy in U.S. history, period. The new law will drive enormous investments in solar and storage deployment and domestic manufacturing, but it also presents a new kind of uncertainty as the industry seeks to understand and implement the complex provisions. 

While the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has already created a number of resources for members to use to build their understanding of the IRA and maximize the law’s benefits, RE+ 2022 is just around the corner, presenting an excellent opportunity for clean energy companies to hear directly from SEIA experts about how the IRA is changing the energy landscape.  

More than 20,000 clean energy professionals will descend on Anaheim, Calif. from Sept. 19-22 for RE+ 2022, the largest energy event in North America. Attendees are already buzzing with excitement about the IRA, and the event will offer attendees a wealth of information on the market-moving policies, technologies and programs that will power the solar and storage industry for decades to come. 

Here are a few can’t-miss sessions at RE+ that will detail what the IRA means for the solar and storage industry.  

The Politics Behind the IRA and the Political Landscape Today  

Getting the IRA to President Biden’s desk was a monumental task requiring years of groundwork and dedication from thousands of clean energy advocates.  

In Riding the Reconciliation Rollercoaster: Legislative Policy Updates in a Post-IRA World, legislative experts and advocates will explore how the industry navigated a tumultuous political landscape to achieve this historic win. The session also will provide lessons learned for future policy fights. Moderated by Erin Duncan, vice president of congressional affairs at SEIA, panelists will detail how the industry can build upon the IRA’s achievements to sustain long-term growth. 

For an in-depth look at how the IRA got across the finish line, From BBB to IRA: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at an Historic Federal Energy Bill will dive into “how the sausage was made” and feature stories from experts on the front line.  

Implementation: Now the Real Work Begins  

Many of the provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act are entirely new, from manufacturing incentives to environmental justice block grants and new apprenticeship standards that offer a higher tax credit. Federal agencies need time to issue guidance and get programs up and running. Learn more about the timeline and scope of implementation at a critical RE+ session on Wednesday, Preparing to Implement the IRA. Ben Norris, senior director of regulatory affairs at SEIA who is leading the group’s IRA implementation work, will moderate this session. 

To catch up on details about the law, SEIA experts are hosting a special session on new resources now available for members. SEIA staff will walk companies through existing resources that breakdown the IRA, like SEIA’s new energy communities map, and how companies can best utilize this information.  

Managing Industry Growth in the Solar+ Decade   

The IRA will accelerate solar and storage growth and put the industry on a path to achieving its Solar+ Decade goal of solar comprising 30% of U.S. electrical generation by 2030. But that goal is not guaranteed, and the law isn’t a silver bullet. This growth comes with a significant level of responsibility, and the industry must put in the work now if it really wants the 2020s to be the Solar+ Decade.  

Several sessions at RE+ will dive into how the solar and storage industry can strategically manage growth, including: 

• Pathway to 1 Million Workers: Tools For Scaling Workforce Growth, examining how the clean energy industry can attract and retain diverse talent as employment levels quadruple over the next decade.  
• Supporting Solar and Storage Manufacturing and Deployment, outlining the path to a robust U.S. solar supply chain in the wake of the IRA’s billions of dollars of domestic manufacturing investments.  
• Powering Environmental Justice with Clean Energy, on ensuring that the coming clean energy boom drives forward a truly equitable clean energy future with access to solar and storage for all.  
• Interconnection Queue Reform for Renewable Energy Development, discussing the current state of interconnection backlogs and how to ensure they do not inhibit clean energy deployment.  
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Best Practices for Sustainable Renewable Energy Development, on minimizing waste in the industry and planning for solar module end-of-life management.  
• Finding Common Ground: Addressing Siting and Land Use Issues in the Solar+ Decade, on responsibly siting large-scale solar projects and thoughtfully working with local communities on land-use challenges.   

RE+ 2022 is an unparalleled opportunity for 20,000 energy professionals to learn and grow from one another. Proceeds from this event go directly back to supporting the industry’s growth through the critical work of SEIA and SEPA – the Smart Electric Power Alliance. 

Jump into this new era of clean energy growth by attending these insightful sessions on the law shaping the future of American energy.  

Learn more about the member resources now available on the Inflation Reduction Act.