Garbarino, LaLota: Keep fighting for clean energy tax credits

As a solar small business owner from Farmingdale, I applaud Long Island Reps. Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota for their support of clean energy tax credits, which will help keep electricity prices down across New York and the United States. These lawmakers are standing up for energy investments, and recently sent a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee about protecting the Solar Investment Tax Credit.

Residential solar and energy storage fit perfectly into President Donald Trump’s America First agenda, and Garbarino, LaLota, and the 19 other Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed onto a letter supporting energy tax credits understand that. These credits are currently at risk, and if they go away, I’m worried about the future of my business and others like it here on Long Island and across New York.

EmPower Solar has delivered more than 6,000 high-performance solar and battery systems to homeowners and businesses in the New York City and Long Island region since 2003. Our clients enjoy lower electric bills and support the electric distribution system by injecting power during times of peak demand.

Garbarino is leading this charge for the second time. His recent letter was similar to one he wrote last year. He knows pro-growth federal policies create opportunities across the state and nation for employment and cost savings. LaLota also has an important role in this budget fight via his seat on the Appropriations Committee.

Understand what will happen if Congress repeals the Solar Investment Tax Credit. More than 5% of New York’s energy comes from solar; if this valuable resource is diminished, energy costs will rise. This will, of course, drive up monthly utility bills. Studies show the cost could come to nearly $500 per year per household, a 10% increase next year. Hardworking New York families shouldn’t have to budget for that. Rooftop solar also provides energy choice for homeowners in New York, who produce and store their own power through panels and batteries, reducing strain on the electric system and lowering utility costs for their neighbors.

This is bigger than energy bills — it’s about industry and energy dominance. New York is one of the top 10 solar energy states and ranks third in the nation for solar jobs. More than 15,000 people are employed in the industry statewide, and that number keeps growing. Those jobs, and the future jobs of this expanding industry, would be threatened should the investment tax credit go away. Nationwide, energy careers will be reduced by about 97,000 without the tax credit. That’s just in the energy industry. Without the tax credit, the subsequent rise in customer rates, reduced economic output, and job elimination would lead to market losses of up to $820 billion.

Make no mistake: When it comes to Trump's goal of energy dominance, you can’t get more homegrown than harnessing solar power. No foreign adversary can dictate where the sun shines in America. We can’t afford to reduce our grid capacity by the 167 gigawatts solar provides us — the equivalent of the power output of 83 Hoover dams. We need that energy to power our homes, our businesses, and our innovation.

We are grateful to our Long Island elected officials for standing up for an energy resource they know has produced unmatched economic opportunities. Let's make sure solar and storage continue to be major drivers of economic growth and prosperity.

This guest essay reflects the views of David Schieren, chief executive of EmPower Solar and board chair of the New York Solar Energy Industries Association.