Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association released the following statement today in response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address to Congress:

“The President is right.  We need to create jobs, grow our economy and increase American competitiveness. The U.S. solar industry is meeting those goals with more than 100,000 Americans working in solar, twice the number from 2009.  In the last two years we constructed 41 new factories and have invested over $16 billion in the U.S., building clean power to fuel America’s economy.  And today, there are more than 5,600 companies in the U.S. solar market creating jobs, driving private investment and exporting goods around the world.

“The solar industry looks forward to working with the Administration and both Republicans and Democrats in Congress to implement smart policies that creates jobs, enhances American energy security, revitalizes our manufacturing base and keeps solar’s momentum going in 2012 and for years to come.”

Background Resources:
• More than 100,000 Americans in all 50 states work in solar according to The Solar Foundation's 2011 National Solar Jobs Census: http://thesolarfoundation.org/research/national-solar-jobs-census-2011  

• In 2010 and 2011 alone, 27 new U.S. solar manufacturing facilities have begun or will begin operations across America, including in Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

• Today, there are more than 5,600 solar energy companies across the supply chain operating in the United States.

• According to U.S. Solar Energy Trade Assessment 2011, a joint report from SEIA and GTM Research, the solar industry is a significant net exporter of solar products, with 2010 net exports totaling $2 billion. Additionally, U.S. solar installations created $4.4 billion in direct value for the U.S. economy: http://www.seia.org/cs/news_detail?pressrelease.id=1532  

• The solar industry employs Americans in all 50 states. Meet some of the faces of the solar industry and learn more about specific state data: www.SolarWorksforAmerica.org  

• According to independent polling by Kelton Research, 9 out of 10 Americans support solar, across the political spectrum: http://www.seia.org/cs/news_detail?pressrelease.id=1710  

Solar Energy Industries Association 
www.seia.org