SolarCity urged Congress to swiftly pass comprehensive legislation that includes an extension of the Investment Tax Credit for solar. The provision, included in sweeping appropriations and tax bills introduced by House Speaker Paul Ryan today, is the result of weeks-long bipartisan negotiations between Senate and House leaders.
The proposed legislation would follow on the heels of the historic global climate agreement in Paris, where 195 countries committed to tackle climate change and galvanize greater investment in clean energy. Consistent, long-term policies supporting solar energy, along with other clean energy sources, are critical to the growth of a lower-carbon economy. This week, analysts told the National Journalthat lifting the ban on crude oil exports would have a negligible impact on U.S. carbon emissions, while greater support and certainty for solar could more than double the nation’s total installed solar capacity.
“On behalf of over 15,000 employees here in the U.S. and nearly 300,000 customers, SolarCity applauds the bipartisan agreement that prioritizes the growth of solar in the United States,” said SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive. “Using clean energy is the most important step an individual can take to address climate change and protect future generations. Combined with the historic Paris climate agreement, long-term certainty for the ITC sends a strong signal to the marketplace that investment in clean energy is the right way to drive continued economic growth and job creation. We urge Congress to act quickly to enact the measure.”
