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Federal, State & Regulatory Policy

Regardless of technology or size, every facet of the solar industry is affected by local, state and federal policy. SEIA is engaged with policymakers at the regulatory and legislative levels in Washington, D.C. and across the country to establish supportive policy frameworks that allow solar to compete in the marketplace and offer cost-competitive, reliable energy to consumers.

22% Average annual solar growth in the last 10 years

Rooftop Solar

Electricity produced at or near the point where it is used is called Distributed Generation (DG). Distributed solar energy can be located on rooftops or ground-mounted, and is typically connected to the local utility distribution grid. There are a wide variety of policies at the state and local level that impact distributed solar and its customers.

Spotlight: Net Metering

Net metering allows residential and commercial customers who generate their own electricity from solar power to sell the electricity they aren't using back into the grid. Many states have passed net metering laws. In other states, utilities may offer net metering programs voluntarily or as a result of regulatory decisions. Differences between state legislation, regulatory decisions and implementation policies mean that the mechanism for compensating solar customers varies widely across the country.

Local Permitting
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Grid Modernization
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Utility Rate Design
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Rebates & Incentives
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Solar Access Rights
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Property-Assessed Clean Energy
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Utility-Scale Solar

Utility-scale solar has been generating reliable, clean energy with a stable fuel price for more than two decades. By enacting federal and state-level policies to accelerate the growth of utility-scale solar, we can create jobs nationwide and quickly diversify America’s energy portfolio.

Utility-Scale Solar Development

Utility-scale solar facilities and traditional power plants are constructed through a very similar process. Project developers work with financiers, solar technology suppliers, engineering firms, legal counsel, and others to identify appropriate sites for renewable energy projects, secure access to transmission infrastructure, interconnect facilities, and comply with government information reporting requirements. 

Renewable Energy Standards
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Land Use & Solar Development
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Transmission
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Habitat Conservation Planning
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Water Use Management
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Renewable Energy Deployment

Policy plays an important role in deploying solar energy by helping create competitive markets for new and innovative energy technologies. Mechanisms for compensating solar system owners, markets for selling wholesale solar power, and funding for the U.S. Department of Energy can all impact the growth trajectory of the solar industry.

Federal DOE Appropriations
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Performance-Based Incentives
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Reverse Auction Mechanism
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Wholesale Distributed Generation
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Community Solar

Community solar has become a critical tool for bridging the gap between those who can and can't access local, affordable, clean energy.

Quick Facts

Related News

Wednesday, May 08, 2019

SC Senate Passage of Energy Freedom Act Big Step Forward, SEIA Urges Swift Final Approval

COLUMBIA, S.C. and WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the solar industry commended the South Carolina Senate for passing a landmark energy bill, The Energy Freedom Act, on a bipartisan vote, and urged the House to quickly approve the measure and send it to Gov. McMaster for his signature.

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Thursday, May 02, 2019

SEIA Commends Texas Senate for Passing Bill to Protect Solar Consumers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following is a statement from Katherine Gensler, vice president of regulatory affairs for the Solar Energy Industries Association,  on the passage of S.B. 2066 in the Texas Senate:

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Monday, Apr 22, 2019

SEIA Praises Nevada Governor and Legislature for Enacting Bill to Increase State’s Renewable Energy Target

WASHINGTON, D.C. and CARSON CITY, Nev. - Today, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) praised Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak for signing into law Senate Bill 358, which raises Nevada’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to 50 percent by 2030, doubling it from the current 25 percent target.

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