Another baseless attack on the solar industry, a highly successful industry in the US with over 100,000 employees and over 5,000 companies, has popped up in Congress. Of course, it is named after one of the very few failures in the industry — Solyndra. Here’s a response from SEIA:
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee and the Energy and Power Subcommittee held a legislative hearing on the discussion draft of the No More Solyndras Act. Rhone Resch, President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA®), issued the following statement on the discussion draft:
“The solar industry supports efforts to ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected and used wisely to increase the effectiveness of Department of Energy (“DOE”) Loan Guarantee Program. The solar industry stands ready to work with policymakers on a bipartisan basis to achieve these common sense goals and improve the loan program.
“Unfortunately, the discussion draft – as was noted on multiple occasions in the legislative hearing – would ‘throw the baby out with the bathwater.’ The loan program has been utilized on a bipartisan basis to leverage private capital to promote transportation, health care, education, housing and energy infrastructure policies. The provision in the discussion draft that sunsets DOE’s loan program would hinder our nation’s ability to develop innovative energy infrastructure projects. In solar alone, this program has achieved a number of notable successes. Chief among these are 11 utility‐scale solar power plants in the Southwest, totaling 2,700 megawatts – enough to power 500,000 homes.
“The solar industry welcomes the opportunity to work with Congress and the Administration to improve the DOE loan program.”
The U.S. solar energy industry employs 100,000 Americans at more than 5,600 companies, mostly small businesses, across the nation in all 50 states.
About SEIA®:
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA is working to build a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. www.seia.org
Background Materials:
Facts on the DOE Loan Program: http://www.seia.org/policy/
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