Issues
Every emerging industry can benefit from productive relationships with key stakeholders, especially government and industry. Fostering those relationships, however, is often a challenge amid today’s complex web of influencers.
Raising our collective voice
PV Group actively seeks opportunities to improve the global business environment for PV wherever they present themselves. Through advisory committees, affiliated organizations, and an extensive network of executive and governmental relationships, we stay abreast of community, country, regional, and global issues—and coordinate the PV industry’s vast resources to address those issues.
|
Environmental, Health, and Safety We identify industry needs, share information, and create tools to help the industry attain EHS, regulatory and sustainable development objectives. Over 90 members have joined the EHS Committee to share best practices and information. Why EHS is Important for the PV Industry The PV industry has experienced tremendous growth over the past five years, placing enormous pressures on EHS needs and practices in the industry. Operating in dozens of countries, hundreds of new production facilities have recently come on line and thousands of new workers are interfacing with complex and potentially dangerous production processes. One of the challenges to ensuring that effective hazard controls are in place at PV manufacturing facilities, wherever they may be located, is to develop an effective means for sharing EHS knowledge on an industry-wide scale.
For more information about our EHS efforts, please contact Sanjay Baliga (Senior Project Manager, EHS, San Jose) at sbaliga@semi.org |
Public Policy & Advocacy In legislative initiatives, we work directly with governmental and regulatory authorities, as well as other organizations and coalitions, to promote member interests in tax, tariff, export control, education, and competitiveness. In trade, we build on SEMI’s considerable track record in influencing world trade agreements that have fostered semiconductor and display industry growth.
New Archives
|
The SEMI PV Group supports the passage of a strong legislation in support of solar photovoltaic production and demand. As such, SEMI urges Congress to pass the following provisions into law:
Raising or removing the Cap on the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit (MTC)
In 2009, Congress authorized $2.3 billion in tax credits for qualified investments in advanced energy projects, to support new, expanded, or re-equipped domestic manufacturing facilities. The goal of the advanced manufacturing tax credit (MTC) is to grow the domestic manufacturing industry for clean energy, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The initial cap of $2.3 billion proved to be too low, as the program was immediately oversubscribed with the Department of Energy receiving $8 billion in applications. SEMI PV Group urges Congress to remove the MTC cap so that more companies can take advantage of the MTC, create more jobs, and increase domestic production of renewable energy technologies.
Extension of Grant in Lieu of ITC
The Investment Tax Credit (ITC) has been successful in leveraging private capital to create growth in the renewable energy technology sector and provide certainty for investors. Section 1603 of the 2009 Recovery Act provides that, instead of taking the tax credit, qualified companies may be issued the credit in the form of a grant. This allows companies that might not have the capital available to directly invest cash in order to bring projects forward. Since the inception of Sec. 1603, over 1700 grants have been issued totaling more than $5.8 billion. As a 30% grant, this program has stimulated more than $14 billion in private investment since its inception. Although this provision was set to expire at the end of 2010, it was extended by one year as part of the Obama Tax Compromise. SEMI PV Group would like to see this grant in lieu of the ITC beyond 2011 so it can continue to work as a positive mechanism for the deployment of additional renewable energy technologies.
Renewable Energy Standard or Clean Energy Standard with Solar “Carve Out”
A Renewable Energy Standard (RES) requires that a certain percentage of energy production come from renewable energy sources. Such a policy is now in effect in over half the states and the District of Columbia. PV Group supports the implementation of a strong national RES to help drive the market for increased deployment of Solar PV. If Congress were to consider a broader Clean Energy Standard, like the one that President Obama has suggested, to include nuclear, natural gas, and “clean coal,” the PV Group strongly asks the solar technologies be afforded a “carve out.” Such a consideration would insure that our technologies are treated fairly and recognized for absence of certain negative externalities, such as nuclear processing and securitization, carbon emissions, or other harmful pollutants.
R&D Tax Credit
PV Group urges Congress to improve and permanently extend the federal R&D tax credit. Research and Development is the spark to the innovation the American economy needs to be globally competitive. Our members spend 10–15 percent of revenues on R&D. The R&D tax credit was most recently extended until December 31, 2011 in the Obama Tax Compromise . Temporary tax credits, while useful, do not allow for companies to plan over the long term. The PV Group asks that Congress consider making the tax credit permanent.
If you have any questions regarding Solar PV policy, please contact Jamie Girard,
Manager, Public Policy at 202-289-0440 or jgirard@semi.org.
- As a global industry trade organization, the ultimate objective of the SEMI PV Group is the long term growth and profitability of our members who are the premier global companies in the solar PV supply chain. The SEMI PV Group has been advocating for meaningful and effective public policies that support the growth of the global solar industry since its inception.
- The overwhelming responsibility for the PV manufacturing supply chain is to deliver the lowest cost per kWh to the user.
- The PV Group advocates solar policies that are transparent and streamlined. Policies should be clearly defined, simple to understand and focused on solar power adoption goals.
- As a trade organization with suppliers in every major manufacturing region of the world, SEMI PV Group support government policies that support manufacturing operations.
Related Articles
We identify industry needs, share information, and create tools to help the industry attain EHS, regulatory and sustainable development objectives. For more information contact Sanjay Baliga at sbaliga@semi.org.
