RELEASE: Clean Energy Companies and Leaders Urge Senate to Pass Inflation Reduction Act
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, 14 clean energy companies and leaders urged the U.S. Senate to pass the Inflation Reduction Act and its job-creating, cost-cutting investments in clean energy tax credits. The companies’ statements are below (listed alphabetically by company name).
American Clean Power, President, Heather Zichal: “The entire clean energy industry just breathed an enormous sigh of relief. This is an 11th hour reprieve for climate action and clean energy jobs, and America’s biggest legislative moment for climate and energy policy. “Congress now is inches away from passing a $369.75 billion investment in energy security and climate change programs over the next ten years – the biggest climate and clean energy investment in American history. Passing this bill sends a message to the world that America is leading on climate, and sends a message at home that we will create more great jobs for Americans in this industry. This deal includes long-term clean energy tax credits that will translate into the rapid deployment of affordable, reliable clean energy, thousands of new domestic jobs, and promote domestic clean energy that bolsters our national security. We will do everything we can to get this across the finish line. We applaud the hard work and negotiations of Leader Schumer and Senator Manchin to arrive at this pivot point for our country and for future generations.”
CleanCapital, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Byrne:“We urge Congress to take immediate action to pass the Inflation Reduction Act. We cannot afford to miss this historic opportunity to strengthen our national security by bolstering energy independence. As a leading clean energy investment platform, CleanCapital knows the power of employing renewable power generation sources to lower consumer costs and provide high paying jobs. With this bill’s passage, Congress can ensure we meet our climate goals and that all Americans reap the benefits. This act has the potential to unleash U.S. clean energy while cutting electricity costs for families, creating opportunities for workers, and reducing pollution for communities. This is how we make America the 21st century leader in the global transition to clean energy.”
Clean Energy for America, Executive Director, Andrew Reagan: “We are thrilled the Senate reached a commonsense deal on clean energy that'll lower costs, create jobs, and fight climate change. Earlier this week, we joined with half a dozen companies in urging Congress, ‘Don’t Quit On Clean Energy,’ and I know so many other business and advocacy leaders echoed the same. Clearly, policymakers got the message. Let's get this passed because clean energy can’t wait.”
Clean Energy Services, Chief Commercial Officer, Kevin Doffing: “The best investment that America can make is in itself and our fellow citizens. This bill will advance our energy and national security by fueling our domestic manufacturing of renewable energy, insulating us from the whims of foreign dictators and their petro states. Dependable jobs that advance a cleaner future for our children have never been closer. It's time to get to work and build that future.”
Dandelion Energy, Chief Executive Officer, Michael Sachse: “The Inflation Reduction Act will save homeowners money by enabling the switch to clean and energy efficient technologies such as geothermal heat pumps. Households can see a 40-50% reduction in total annual energy costs when switching to a geothermal heating and cooling system, and this bill provides critical support to make more efficient equipment available to all Americans. This legislation will provide important financial relief and long-term solutions for Americans struggling with high energy prices.”
Elemental Excelerator, Founder and CEO, Dawn Lippert: "The Inflation Reduction Act is the infusion of funding we need to push the U.S. into the fast lane of climate tech deployment and expedite the work of climate investors and entrepreneurs globally. We're encouraged to see that in addition to accelerating technology, this funding will be directed to local government and community-based organizations that are key to unlocking deployment.”
ESS Tech, Inc., Chief Executive Officer, Eric Dresselhuys: “We commend the leadership of Senators Manchin and Schumer on this historic legislation. This historic investment in clean energy infrastructure will bring good-paying energy and manufacturing jobs back to America and provide the energy security and climate change solutions our country needs. In the long term, the incentives in the bill will support an inflation-resilient energy economy powered by clean, renewable energy. ESS is committed to deploying advanced American energy storage technology, built by American workers, to support the transition to a clean, decarbonized energy future.”
Intersect Power, CEO, Sheldon Kimber: “Make no mistake: this agreement is the bill we’ve been waiting for as long as Congress can get it over the finish line. If the U.S. is going to lead the industries of tomorrow that will inevitably be driven by climate change, then policy incentives have to be in place to compete with the rest of the world. This bill delivers a highly strategic multi-pronged approach that ramps-up our clean tech manufacturing base here at home, incentivizes consumers to adopt cleantech and buy domestically, while rapidly deploying clean energy infrastructure. So let’s get it done. Yes, it’s not perfect. But frankly, it was never going to be and doesn’t need to be. Let’s prove that our nation can, once again, lead in times of crisis and build a better future for current and future generations.”
Mosaic, Founder and CEO, Billy Parish: “We are excited by the unprecedented investments being made to reduce emissions and accelerate clean energy adoption. I urge everyone to speak up. Please — take a minute right now to call your representatives and tell them to pass the climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. There is an urgency like never before to adopt renewable energy initiatives to strengthen our economy, make energy affordable for more families, and combat climate change.”
National Hydropower Association, President and CEO, Malcolm Woolf: “The Inflation Reduction Act recognizes that new generation from hydropower and pumped storage is essential to a reliable, clean energy grid. For the first time, this bill creates tax parity for hydropower with other renewables and recognizes pumped storage’s contribution to long-duration energy storage. While the benefits of this bill are many, it again ignores the need to preserve and expand the existing U.S. hydropower fleet. With 17.5 gigawatts of installed hydropower capacity up for expensive and uncertain relicensing by 2035, our nation cannot address climate and ensure a reliable grid without our second largest renewable electricity resource.”
Navajo Power, “The clean energy tax credits in the proposed Inflation Reduction Act will substantially support the continuation of our development of solar projects on tribal lands. We urge Senators to support this bill as we are working with tribes on projects in Arizona, South Dakota, North Dakota, Michigan, Arizona, California, New Mexico and these utility scale solar projects will be an economic engine for our tribal economies.”
Scale Microgrid Solutions, COO, Tim Hade: “In the near term, passing this legislation is the most important step we can take to address the climate crisis. As a company with operations around the country, we're proud to provide cutting-edge microgrid services for consumers, but we can't move fast enough without federal support. It's imperative that Congress pass this legislation to deliver for the American people. It doesn’t matter what the corporate minimum tax is if the planet melts.”
Solar Energy Industries Association President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper: “With long-term incentives for clean energy deployment and manufacturing, the solar and storage industry can create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and get to work building out the next era of American energy leadership. This is a crucial window of opportunity that we cannot miss, and now Congress must seal the deal and pass this historic legislation.”
Sunnova, EVP, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Meghan Nutting: “The Inflation Reduction Act is groundbreaking for our industry and exactly what we need to accelerate the clean energy transition. This legislation has the opportunity to change the lives of Americans by cutting their energy bills, creating new manufacturing jobs right here at home, developing opportunities to proliferate the adoption of distributed energy resources like solar + storage, and make a huge impact on mitigating climate change. Now we need to come together and push to get this historic legislation passed.”
SunPower, Head of Policy and Strategy, Suzanne Leta: “What a difference between Wednesday morning and evening. We went to sleep and woke up hopeful that a different world for our children and grandchildren is finally within reach! A world where all Americans have the opportunity to access affordable, resilient, homegrown, clean energy; a world where the clean energy transition puts millions of well-paying jobs in the communities that need them the most; a world where the US is leading the way. So our kids don’t have to wonder, “why we didn’t,” let’s get this thing done.”
Swift Solar, CEO, Joel Jean: “Swift Solar calls on Congress to immediately pass the Inflation Reduction Act and support historic investments in clean energy that will create jobs across the country and help our nation fight climate change. The investments in this legislation will catalyze clean energy companies and projects, and accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technologies, all while helping reduce climate pollution and securing our energy future.”
Qcells America, Head of Market Strategy and Public Affairs, Scott Moskowitz: “This bill is going to quickly help the U.S. become a major manufacturer of solar and other clean energy technologies, while enabling a more rapid transition to a low-carbon future. Companies are ready to invest billions of dollars to leverage this policy to improve our supply chains, lower energy costs, and address the climate crisis. We look forward to the passage of this critical legislation.”
ZeroAvia, Founder and CEO, Val Miftakhov: “We are heartened by the Inflation Reduction Act's proposed investments in reduced emissions and a clean energy future, particularly measures in support of hydrogen production. The Act will be an important accelerant in our pursuit of zero-emission aviation powered by hydrogen fuel-cells, and it shows that the U.S. is once again prepared to lead the global fight against climate change."
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CONTACT: Kris Fetterman, kris@sevenletter.com
Clean Energy for America: CE4A was formed to be a voice for the clean energy workforce, a new powerhouse of energy stakeholders, who overwhelmingly support ambitious action on climate to grow our economy and create jobs. Clean Energy for America is of, for, and by the rapidly emerging clean energy workforce. Led by some of the most influential leaders across the industry, CE4A has operations across the country, mobilizing the clean energy industry for grassroots engagement – carrying forward the momentum and demand for a clean energy economy.
