Crossing party lines, three United States Senators joined forces to introduce the 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2011 this week. The legislation proposed by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) would lower the cost of residential solar panels, as well as commercial solar installations, by streamlining the application and permitting process.
Can new federal legislation encourage 10 million solar roofs?
Some estimates show that such legislation could trim as much as $2,500 from the cost of solar panels. This is the second time the 10 Million Solar Roofs Act has been proposed, following 2010′s failed attempt to get the law passed.
The proposed 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2011 would tie into the Obama Administration’s SunShot Initiative. Appropriations of $50 million each fiscal year from 2012 through 2016 would be invested to develop best practices for solar permitting.
Senator Sanders commented in a press release:
“As we lower the cost of solar energy and increase our use of solar, we can create hundreds of thousands of good-paying manufacturing and installation jobs in this country. This bill also sets strong targets for American solar energy production, to ensure we compete vigorously with China and Europe for solar energy jobs.”
The need to make solar power more affordable by reducing costs associated with the permitting of solar installations is not only about the environment. Hundreds of thousands of green solar jobs would be created as well, if demand and use of solar increases nationwide.
The spokesperson of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Monique Hanis, commented:
“We applaud the senator’s efforts. He’s been a long-standing supporter of solar. And we look forward to working with this bipartisan group of legislators. A bill like this could go a long way to make it easier and less expensive to deploy more solar.”
What do you think about the proposed new federal legislation to encourage solar panel installations?
Tags: 10 million solar roofs act, cost solar panels, million solar roofs, residential solar panels, sunshot initiative
June 6th, 2011 at 9:57 am
Why didn’t it pass the first time? And is there a certain area of the U.S. that this will be used?
June 8th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Matthew, the reason it didn’t pass the first time is simply it was blocked by lobbyists from the fossil fuel industry.