Governor Sisolak, Senator Rosen Host Roundtable with Solar Energy Leaders

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Last Friday, Governor Sisolak and Senator Rosen hosted a roundtable with solar energy leaders at IBEW Local #357 to discuss the current state of clean energy in Nevada.

In May, the Governor signed a letter, alongside 18 other Governors, urging U.S. Department of Commerce to end its investigation into solar tariffs and spur clean energy manufacturing due to the threat it created to clean energy jobs and infrastructure. Senator Jacky Rosen and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto led the effort tin the U.S. Senate against additional solar tariffs.

In June, the Biden Administration decided to waive the solar tariffs.

“In Nevada, we are experiencing the harsh impacts of climate change. Now is the time to develop clean energy to combat it, create a more stable Western grid while providing good-paying jobs,” said Governor Sisolak.

Nevada is the top solar economy in the country.

A 2022 report by Stacker ranks Nevada as the No. 1 state with the biggest solar economy. Stacker analyzed data collected by the Solar Energy Industries Association and Bureau of Labor Statistics and ranked the states by the number of solar jobs per 1,000 in the non-farm sector.

Nevada has 4.5 solar jobs per 1,000 non-farm jobs and 4,244.9 total megawatts installed. Total number of installations is 75,379.

In June 2021, Governor Sisolak signed Senate Bill 448, which will accelerate transmission development, renewable energy and storage, and Nevada’s clean energy economy.

Also in 2021, the Governor’s Office of Energy approved partial tax abatements for projects that will invest a total of $1.5 billion in Nevada’s economy and create an estimated 853 construction jobs and 29 operational jobs in the state. These new projects will add 1,166 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity to Nevada’s existing capacity of just under 5,000 MW.

According to American Clean Power, $15.8 million in property, state and local taxes were invested into Nevada communities through renewable energy projects. Today, clean energy generated in Nevada can power more than 700,000 homes.

“As the top solar economy in the country with the most solar jobs per capita, Nevada is leading the way on clean energy, and that’s why I’ve been fighting so hard against the threat of job-killing solar tariffs,” said Senator Rosen.

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