News from SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Association) The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) by a vote of 219 to 212. This is the first time that climate change legislation has passed either house of Congress. The historic nature of this achievement cannot be understated. Today, the House sent a clear signal to financial markets and investors that there will be a premium on zero-carbon energy production in the 21st century U.S. economy. The time to diversify our energy resources and expand clean, pollution-free solar energy is upon us.

This bill had several provisions that will benefit the solar industry. You can view the text of the full bill and the manager’s amendment on SEIA’s website. SEIA also has an in-depth summary of the bill available on the website. Also, see SEIA’s statement on passage of the bill. Some of the most significant solar provisions include:

While today’s vote is an historic achievement, it is only the beginning of a long process to enact clean energy and climate change legislation into law. The next step will be improving this legislation in the Senate where we expect a contentious debate. In the coming months, we will be calling on SEIA members to help us in our advocacy efforts as the Senate crafts their version of energy and climate legislation.

But today, we celebrate. This is a big win for solar and the other renewable energy sectors. We are truly entering the clean energy era!