Wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is a renewable energy champion

I hope all of you were able to join the president in a moment of silence to offer respect and condolences for those that were injured and/or died at the shooting in Arizona this past weekend.

We in the renewable energy industry may not realize how important Congresswoman Giffords is to our industry. I offer you this article as reported on Renewable Energy Magazine:

During her two terms Giffords was an important proponent of the eight-year extension of the solar investment tax credit and the one-year extension of the Treasury Grant Program. She also sponsored the Solar Technology Roadmap Act in 2009, which committed over $2 billion to new research partnerships and demonstration projects for solar energy technologies, and a key role in securing a $1.45 billion loan guarantee from the US government for a 280 MW photovoltaic facility in her home state.


Giffords, who is married to space shuttle astronaut Mark Kelly, often compared the push to develop domestic sources of renewable energy to the American space program, and yet she also sought to demystify solar power and make it part of her constituents’ every day life.

Among her initiatives toward this end, were Solar Power 101, which the Congresswomen launched in 2007, and sought to teach Arizonans about solar power and the opportunities inherent in developing the renewables sector, and the Solar Schools Act, which provided funding to help public schools install solar panels.

She also maintains a solar energy page on her official web site which offers constituents the opportunity to sign up for her solar energy newsletter.

In the wake of the shooting, Rhone Resch, President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association said, “In her short time in Congress, Gabby has realized a number of accomplishments covering a wide range of issues.

“For our industry, she has constantly positioned herself as one of the go-to champions for solar in the House of Representatives. In two terms, Congresswoman Giffords was a key supporter in the House as SEIA pushed for the 8-year extension of the solar investment tax credit and the recent one-year extension of the Treasury Grant Program,” he said.

In addition, Giffords introduced the Solar Technology Roadmap Act, which would dedicate over $2 billion to new research partnerships and demonstration projects for solar energy technologies.

She has also sought to lead by example, having installed a 2 kW photovoltaic system on her Tucson home last year.

To see the rest of the story visit renewableenergymagazine.com