November 9 , 2007

Washington, DC, USA: Solar Provisions At Risk of Exclusion from Energy Bill Absent Action by Solar Advocates

Senate and House Democratic Leaders are now considering a plan to leave renewable energy out of the Energy Bill. There are widespread reports that a decision has been made, at least provisionally, to move energy legislation without a tax title that extends the Solar Investment Tax Credits (ITC).

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is currently asking all solar advocates to call their Representative and both Senators and ask them to urge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) to keep the ITC extension in the Energy Bill. The Energy Bill is expected to be voted on at the end of next week.

SEIA says that a bill without the solar ITC provisions would be a tremendous lost opportunity for the US solar energy industry. This means that the Energy Bills, Senate HR6 and House HR3221, need to include the Tax Title.

SEIA suggested talking points:

The solar investment tax credits are critical to our nation's energy future and must be part of the energy bill this year
The solar tax credits would decrease energy costs, increase energy independence, and create more jobs in your district
Speak to Senator Reid / Speaker Pelosi and tell them how important it is to your constituents to keep solar tax credits in the energy bill.

SEIA explains what they are seeking:

Eight-year extension of the 30% business ITC under Section 48
Six-year extension of the 30% residential ITC under Section 25D
Elimination of the existing $2,000 limit on the 30% residential solar ITC under Section 25D
Permit corporate and individual taxpayers to claim the ITC against the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)
Elimination of the public utility exception to the ITC.

To locate Representative and Senators’ Washington phone numbers, go to http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt and type in your company’s Zip Code.

Alternatively, Representative and Senators’ offices can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-225-3121.

Further details about: Solar Energy Industries Assocation (SEIA)

November 17, 2007 Addendum: Since the SEIA led lobbying campaign was launched, some estimates put the number of solar advocate communications in to Washington in the thousands over the past week, a response that was described by Vote Solar as "ferocious". SEIA continues to work on the issue.