III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 465 

Supporting the United States solar energy industry in its effort to bring 

low-cost, clean, 21st-century solar technology into homes and businesses 

across the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 16, 2016 

Mr. HEINRICH (for himself and Mr. GARDNER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the United States solar energy industry in its 

effort to bring low-cost, clean, 21st-century solar technology into homes and businesses across the United 

States. 

Whereas the solar energy industry has reached 1,000,000 

solar installations nationwide, a milestone that marks 

just the beginning of the role of solar energy as a mainstream power source; 

Whereas although decades elapsed before the solar energy industry reached the 1,000,000 installation milestone, the 

solar energy industry projects that the solar energy industry will reach 2,000,000 installations in just 2 more 

years; 


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•SRES 465 IS 

Whereas, as of December 2015, there are over 27 gigawatts 

of cumulative solar electric capacity operating in the 

United States, which is enough energy to power more 

than 5,400,000 average homes in the United States; 

Whereas, as of December 2015, the United States solar energy industry provides employment opportunities for 

more than 208,000 solar workers in all 50 States and the 

solar energy industry is creating jobs at a rate 12 times 

higher than the rate of employment growth in the overall 

economy; 

Whereas the United States solar energy industry is a leading 

employer of minorities, women, and veterans; 

Whereas there are nearly 4,000 primary and secondary 

schools in the United States with active solar energy systems, which means that more than 2,700,000 students in 

the United States attend solar schools; 

Whereas the cost of solar energy has dropped by 70 percent 

in the last 7 years and solar energy has brought billions 

of dollars in new investments to communities across the 

United States; 

Whereas continued decreases in cost, new financing models, 

and innovative programs, such as community solar, have 

made solar power accessible to millions of homeowners of 

many incomes and backgrounds; 

Whereas grid-connected solar energy reduces carbon emissions by more than 31,000,000 metric tons annually; 

Whereas, by 2020, solar electric capacity will quadruple in 

size to nearly 100 gigawatts and employment in the solar 

energy industry will more than double to 420,000 workers in the United States; and 


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•SRES 465 IS 

Whereas, having reached the milestone of 1,000,000 solar installations in the United States, solar energy should be 

supported by sound policies and continued private sector 

innovation and ingenuity that will propel the United 

States forward to a stronger economy and well-paying 

jobs: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate supports the United States 

2 solar energy industry in its effort to bring low-cost, clean, 

3 21st-century solar technology into homes and businesses 

4 across the United States. 

Æ 


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