Key Takeaways:
- As Congress considers reallocating funds from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to cover other budget needs for 2025, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) organized a significant lobbying effort on Capitol Hill this Wednesday, engaging in over 100 meetings with lawmakers.
- SEIA delivered a letter signed by approximately 1,500 solar and storage companies to each member of Congress, urging them to retain solar and storage energy credits in any future tax proposals.
- Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA’s president and CEO, stated, “Federal clean energy policies enable American solar manufacturers to fully meet the U.S. solar demand,” emphasizing the importance of these policies for jobs and investments in local communities.
Insights from the Lobbying Effort:
President Donald Trump previously issued an executive order to freeze IRA funding after taking office, and this week he is expected to push Congress to consider cuts to this law as they approach a shutdown deadline on March 14.
Since Trump’s presidency, the clean energy sector has advocated for the benefits of the IRA while encouraging lawmakers to safeguard investments in their constituencies. Recently, SEIA highlighted that between 70-80% of federal clean energy investments have occurred in Republican districts, with 90% of those focusing on manufacturing.
This August, 18 House Republicans wrote to Speaker Mike Johnson, expressing their desire for “business and market certainty” as he reviews potential changes to the IRA.
These lawmakers have expressed concerns over the IRA’s creation process, labeling it as flawed, but worry that completely repealing the act would waste billions of taxpayer dollars with little to no benefits.
The solar and storage industry emphasized their crucial role in the economy, noting that they currently support over 280,000 jobs driven by the urgent need for reliable power and a shift towards domestic clean energy manufacturing.
The Wednesday lobbying effort also saw participation from various organizations including the National Hydropower Association, Climate Power, and the U.S. Green Building Council, among others.
Bob Keefe, executive director of E2, stated, “Across the nation, businesses are beginning or wrapping up plans for factories and projects that will produce solar panels, batteries, and other American-made equipment. Now is not the time to weaken the federal policies that are fueling this growth and creating numerous jobs.”