WASHINGTON - Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), released the following statement today in response to news that First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) is restructuring its operations to reflect market conditions. The restructuring includes scaling back manufacturing operations in Europe and Malaysia and reducing its global workforce by 2,000 employees, including about 120 employees in the U.S.:

SAN FRANCISCO - California solar energy advocates today praised a proposed decision by the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that, if approved, will likely boost renewable energy use by homeowners, businesses, and commercial uses and lower energy costs for both solar and non-solar energy ratepayers.

Installing solar power at their Shelter Island, N.Y., Ace Hardware store seemed like the right thing to do for the planet, say owners David Gurney and Meredith Page. But now that the brother-and-sister ownership team have the system, they're finding that it's also good for their wallets.

Under pressure from solar-power advocates who fear Austin may short-circuit a budding local industry, the Austin City Council is rethinking the city's strategy for expanding solar power.

The council is scheduled to vote Thursday to create a "Local Solar Advisory Committee" charged with studying how best to grow the industry. One of the committee's major tasks will be resolving a disagreement between the solar industry and Austin Energy about where to build solar, and when.

Growth in renewables manufacturing is about to slow, and thousands of jobs will be lost, if Congress doesn't level the playing field between renewables and traditional fossil energy sources, renewables advocates told the National Hydropower Association conference April 18 in Washington DC.

The wind, hydro and solar industries are all facing expiration of tax benefits that have allowed them to grow during the recession. Though the specific tax provisions vary, said NHA Executive Director Linda Church Ciocci, "We're all in the same boat, and we sink or swim together."