Southeast City Issues Proclamation Urging Congress to Extend Solar Investment Tax Credit This Year

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., Nov. 12, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Keith Summey, Mayor of North Charleston, South Carolina issued a proclamation in support of extending the federal solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and called November 12th “A Day to Support Solar.” This comes on the heels of the Bakersfield City Council, the biggest oil and gas-producing region in California, issuing a similar resolution, and bipartisan momentum building in Congress to extend the solar Investment Tax Credit this year.

“Increased use of solar energy is practical and can be cost effective with the help of consistent, long-term supportive policies… [I] urge Congress of the United States take immediate action to extend the federal investment tax credit,” reads Mayor Summey’s proclamation.

In the past year, South Carolina adopted the fundamental billing mechanism of solar net metering and passed Act 236 to establish a statewide distributed energy resource program. This solar leadership is expected to create investments of $500 million and bring more solar jobs to the state.

The ITC is set to expire at the end of 2016. Without legislative action, industry experts at Bloomberg New Energy Finance predict that 100,000 American workers will lose their jobs and 7,000 of the 8,000 solar businesses operating in the U.S. will fold. There are currently more than 47 solar companies in South Carolina, employing 700 people, and these jobs and future employment opportunities are at risk.

Over the past 6 decades in the U.S., fossil fuels and nuclear power have received 8 times more government subsidies than wind and solar.

“Mayor Summey has joined other conservative leaders who recognize that extending the critical solar Investment Tax Credit is the best way to create local solar jobs,” said Bryan Miller, Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Power Markets at Sunrun. “Sunrun applauds Mayor Summey’s leadership.”

Bipartisan support for extending the ITC continues to grow. New polling conducted by three prominent GOP pollsters shows that 83 percent of Republicans support clean energy sources like solar.  

This summer, Sunrun expanded its home solar service to South Carolina, bringing new jobs to the state. Sunrun expects to generate at least 50 permanent jobs this year, ranging from sales consultants to installers to project managers.

Contact: Lauren Randall, lauren.randall@sunrun.com, 781-608-1485

Released November 12, 2015