The Solar Energies Industry Association (SEIA) has been a pioneer on this expertise by most of its cycle. Founded in 1974, this June the affiliation celebrates 50 years since its inception.
50 years of SEIA
SEIA is the nationwide commerce affiliation for the US photo voltaic trade and since its founding in 1974 – within the wake of the vitality disaster – has labored to advertise, develop and implement using photo voltaic vitality within the United States.
So how did SEIA come about? A gaggle of 5 trade members met on the Washington Hilton to create “a broad-based commerce affiliation that helps the fast, environment friendly, widespread and open progress of at present’s photo voltaic vitality assets” that prompting the beginning of 5 a long time of 5 a long time of photo voltaic vitality advocacy.
Its historical past will be divided into 5 distinct intervals:
- Seventies: Established with the purpose of selling photo voltaic vitality and advocating for supporting insurance policies
- Eighties: Successfully lobbied for federal tax credit and different incentives that performed a key position in serving to encourage early photo voltaic adoption
- Nineties: Rapid enlargement to proceed supporting market progress by technological developments and coverage affect, resulting in price reductions and elevated adoption of photo voltaic options
- 2000s: A significant coverage victory was achieved by establishing the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in 2005, which drove vital progress in photo voltaic installations.
- 2010 and 2020: Continues advocacy for clear vitality insurance policies, specializing in grid modernization and vitality conservation. It is now working in the direction of new future-oriented objectives centered on additional rising photo voltaic capability and supporting the clear vitality transition.
What began as a fledgling group within the Seventies then grew to change into a number one advocate for photo voltaic vitality, enjoying a key position within the progress of the trade and the transition to renewable vitality.
This is one thing that has grown to new heights lately. Solar is now one of many quickest rising sources of vitality worldwide, with analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA) discovering the annual addition of photo voltaic PV to develop 85% by March 2024 worldwide.
Focusing solely on the US, SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper says exponential photo voltaic progress is only the start of a much bigger image.