The Renewable Energy Industry

Solyndra’s demise has reignited efforts to sabotage success in the renewable energy industry- an industry that is growing jobs. Let’s focus on the facts. The United States is a net exporter of solar-energy products, and solar jobs have doubled in the U.S. — to 100,000 since 2009. Last year alone, U.S. solar-energy installations created a combined $6 billion in direct value, $4.4 billion of which we accrued.

We need not look far to see an example of a solar company creating manufacturing jobs in Silicon Valley. SunPower, headquartered in Silicon Valley has a manufacturing facility in Milpitas. The company’s customer, NRG Energy, received a $1.2 billion loan guarantee from the Department of Energy specifically for the project that will create 350 construction jobs, power approximately 100,000 homes and inject $315 million in to the San Luis Obispo, Calif. economy.

The answer is clear, supporting the renewable energy industry is the right thing to do for our state and nation.