Authored by Bret Biggart
Freedom Solar describes itself as a team of “solar revolutionaries.” And if you look at the facts on the ground, the revolution’s going well!
Solar panel prices keep coming down, and solar panels keep getting better. More and more people see the value of pairing their panels with batteries that keep families free and safe from blackouts and high bills. And as I’ve written before, tens of millions of roofs in this country still lend themselves to solar — and they still don’t have panels yet.
So we don’t have a problem with what’s actually happening, but we might have a problem with what people think is happening. Politics are playing too big a role in solar’s growth, and some consumers understandably worry that they’ll be collateral damage.
Start with all the recent funding freezes, stop-work orders, and layoffs in Washington, along with the rhetoric surrounding some of those decisions — that’s raised concerns about programs that were created to help people invest in clean energy.
But none of that touches the 30% tax credits helping customers install solar and storage systems in their homes. These tax credits are NOT subject to executive action; only Congress can erase them. Check out this blog post if you want to learn why I’m still confident in these critical programs.
These tax credits have proven popular with both Republicans and Democrats. Nearly two dozen Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives publicly urged leaders to preserve clean energy tax credits, and most federal clean energy funding has flowed to Congressional districts represented by Republicans.
It turns out that consumers appreciate lower bills and more reliable electricity, no matter what political party they belong to.
Yet facts can have a tough time breaking through public confusion — especially when some politicians want to exacerbate it. A number of home energy companies — including Freedom Solar — say that some prospective customers are holding off on going solar because they’re uncertain about what will happen with incentives.
That’s a problem, especially given the critical role renewables are playing in boosting reliability and lowering costs.
The worst part is that all of this drama is unnecessary. Leaders don’t need to do anything new to help renewables. They just need to let people take advantage of important benefits that already exist.
Most of all, leaders need to stop raising doubts that vital consumer programs might disappear. Solar is providing a path for U.S. energy dominance. Politicians would be smart to embrace the message that solar is saving our butts.