The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has released a blueprint to put America First on economic growth, jobs, manufacturing and national security.
SEIA's America First Plan for Solar Energy recommends six steps President Trump can take to maintain the solar industry's booming growth. The plan starts with the president's rejection of tariffs, which would increase the cost of solar, sacrifice tens of thousands of American jobs and raise electricity prices for consumers and businesses.
"Tariffs would jeopardize our economy, our national security and our workers," said Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA's president and CEO. "Our plan is meant to help the President address the issues in this case, put America First, and say yes to strong economic and manufacturing growth. Rather than throw a highly successful U.S. industry in reverse for no good reason, this plan will create more jobs and investment in America."
In addition to rejecting the proposed tariffs, SEIA urged President Trump to:
Support the U.S. military and national security by standing for stable, affordable energy prices. Our bases and armed forces are increasingly relying on solar to achieve mission success.
Ensure U.S. energy dominance by listening to energy producers, conservative groups and American businesses large and small. This will maintain our status as a world leader in solar power production.
Fight for American workers by allowing the booming solar market to continue going strong and offering well-paying jobs to 260,000 Americans, including more than 23,000 military veterans.
Don't bail out failed foreign firms at the expense of American workers by helping millionaires in China and Germany, and investors in Qatar and Europe, exploit U.S. trade law.
Make America First. If he believes those firms should get trade assistance, the President can create an import license fee that will collect money from overseas manufacturers and inject hundreds of millions of dollars in direct investment to U.S. companies and our economy.
The U.S. solar industry is soaring. Last year, U.S. solar power capacity doubled and solar was the No. 1 source of new electricity generation. The industry has added more than 100,000 blue-collar jobs to the economy in just the last five years, and is growing at a rate 17 times faster than the rest of the economy.
If the government lets the market work and there are no tariffs, new solar installations are expected to triple by 2022, according to GTM Research and SEIA's latest U.S. Solar Market Insight report. Tariffs would inflate the cost of solar, throw the industry in reverse and cause the loss of billions of dollars in investment.
President Trump has until Jan. 26 to make a decision in the case. He can accept or reject the ITC's recommendations, or come up with a different policy. For more information, go to www.seia.org/trade.