SEIA recognizes legislators for solar energy support
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) awarded the first Lifetime Solar Pugilist Award to U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) on Thursday, in addition to presenting four other members of Congress with the SEIA Solar Champion Award.
Reid strongly supported the solar industry in Congress as the Senate Democratic Leader, helping to negotiate long-term extensions of the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in 2008, and again in 2015. Reid initially designed the ITC in 2005. The first-ever Lifetime Solar Pugilist Award recognizes Reid as a tremendous leader and supporter of solar energy.
The SEIA Solar Champion Award was presented to U.S. Sens. Dean Heller (R-NV) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) and U.S. Reps. Tom Reed (R-NY) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) for supporting a greater use of solar energy across America.
“Support for solar energy is support for American jobs and innovation,” Tom Kimbis, SEIA’s interim president, said. “These five legislators have demonstrated through their leadership in the halls of Congress, their public support and their voting records that they recognize the enormous benefits – from national security to economic development – bestowed on our nation through solar energy. We credit them with recognizing that solar is not a partisan technology, thank them for their relentless support, and proudly present them with these well-deserved awards.”
SEIA predicted that solar jobs will double to approximately 420,000 by the end of 2020 and that American solar power will triple to approximately 100 gigawatts by 2020 – enough energy to provide 20 million homes with power.
