ASES, Industry Leaders Launch Solar Freedom Now Campaign

Goal is to Cut Solar Costs in Half by Eliminating Paperwork and Red Tape

Orlando, FL, September 7, 2012 – The American Solar Energy Society’s new campaign, Solar Freedom Now (SFN), is taking on the biggest cost hurdle for solar power – the paperwork and red tape that doubles installation costs.  The organization’s goal is to make it as easy and fast to install rooftop solar panels as it is to install a satellite TV dish.

Panel Costs Have Plummeted, but Installations are Still Expensive

“Solar systems cost twice as much in the U.S. compared to Germany,” said solar industry leader Barry Cinnamon (see: “Cut the Price of Solar in Half” at Forbes.com).   Studies by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and by the University of California, Berkeley both confirm that these higher prices are almost exclusively related to the paperwork it takes to “officially” install a standard rooftop system in the U.S.  “This red tape is holding back the industry from creating even more jobs, driving innovation, and building true energy security for our nation,” said Cinnamon.

“It takes only days to install a system in Germany compared to months in the U.S,” noted former Sharp Solar executive Ron Kenedi.  “I can tell you from personal experience — as well as 30 years in the solar industry — that we can install safe, code-compliant systems here in the U.S. just as fast as they do in Germany.  All the extra time, paperwork and inspections simply add to the installed cost of our systems.  We are very pleased that ASES agreed to take this important effort on as an official project.  ASES has been working effectively at the grass roots level for decades on critical solar issues like this,” said Kenedi.

A National Approach to Paperwork and Red Tape is Required

“With 18,000 cities, 3,000 utilities and 50 states all setting their own rules and procedures for solar installations, we absolutely need a national approach to eliminating this paperwork and red tape,” said Susan Greene, President of ASES.  “ASES is proud to team up with industry leaders to launch Solar Freedom Now to ensure a coordinated effort across every state, city and utility across the U.S,” said Greene.

Changes like this start and are sustained at the grass roots level, and Solar Freedom Now’s first goal is to generate wide spread support for eliminating burdensome paperwork and red tape.  “For almost 60 years, ASES has been working to promote safe, affordable solar energy.  We see Solar Freedom Now as the best path forward to reduce these stubbornly high installation costs”, said Greene.

Stop by the ASES booth #3760 at Solar Power International 2012 to sign up as a supporter and to get more information about Solar Freedom Now.  You can also sign up at www.solarfreedomnow.org or Facebook at Solar Freedom.

About Solar Freedom Now

Solar Freedom Now is dedicated to making solar power affordable for all Americans by eliminating paperwork and red-tape.  For more information, go to: www.solarfreedomnow.org and please like us on Facebook at “Solar Freedom Now.”

Contacts:

Anya Schoolman, Community Power Network
202-256-4327 or anya.schoolman@gmail.com

Barry Cinnamon
bcinnamon@gmail.com

Ron Kenedi
ronkenedi@hotmail.com

Susan Greene
SGreene@ases.org