Ossoff introduces solar energy tax credit legislation

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) introduced legislation that would grant tax credits for solar energy manufacturers at all stages of the supply chain, which the Georgia Democrat called essential to making the U.S. internationally competitive on renewable energy.

In a video press conference Tuesday morning, Ossoff noted that Dalton, Ga., is already the location of the western hemisphere’s biggest solar panel manufacturing plant, the Q Cells facility.

“This legislation will bring more clean energy jobs to Georgia while creating tens of thousands of clean energy jobs across the country,” Ossoff said on a press call Tuesday morning. “It will help make America energy independent and allow American manufacturers to compete with Chinese solar manufacturers, and it will accelerate our transition to clean and renewable energy sources.”

The first-term senator emphasized that the solar energy manufacturing supply chain is “currently dominated by Chinese manufacturers” but “should be dominated by American companies.”

“My ambition is to make Georgia the national leader in clean energy technology and manufacturing,” he added. “We don’t want to rely on Chinese monopolies to produce this technology.”

On the call, Ossoff said he would strive to ensure the bill was included in the broader Senate infrastructure plan but said he would introduce a stand-alone bill if necessary.

According to a statement provided exclusively to The Hill by Ossoff’s office, 15 solar industry executives and groups backed the measure.

“It’s critically important for us as a nation to move toward clean energy solutions to protect our environment and create good-paying jobs, and Georgia is perfectly positioned to take advantage of solar as an energy source,” Stan Allen, CEO of Atlanta-based consultant SolAmerica Energy, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with Senator Ossoff to pass this bill and help install solar energy across Georgia and the entire country.”