Heinrich Receives Solar Champion Award
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) was presented the Solar Champion Award by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) for his unwavering efforts to ensure that the federal government continues policies and programs that allow the solar industry to grow in New Mexico and across the United States.
“I am honored to receive the SEIA Solar Champion award. Solar power presents a major opportunity to create jobs and investment in industries of the future,” said Senator Heinrich. “I will continue fighting for policies that move our energy economy forward and help meet our climate goals, keep up our transition to cleaner and more sustainable sources of energy, and create thousands of new jobs in the process.”
“Senator Heinrich has been a critical leading voice in support of solar energy and we are grateful for his leadership, including his testimony in front of the U.S. International Trade Commission opposing tariffs,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “The Senator has long been a strong supporter for solar, recognizing the good jobs it creates, its contribution to clean air and the economic opportunity solar provides in New Mexico and across America.”
Senator Heinrich has been a leading advocate for growing the renewable energy economy in New Mexico and has worked with local leaders across the state to secure grants and provide resources to develop solar. His efforts to secure multi-year extensions of production and investment tax credits have spurred major growth in the clean energy industry in New Mexico. The solar industry now employs almost 2,500 New Mexicans and added 1,000 jobs in 2016 alone. Senator Heinrich recently launched a Solar Toolkit to connect communities to resources and proven strategies to go solar and has worked to establish an investment tax credit (ITC) for commercial and home use of energy storage.
Senator Heinrich has also led the fight against President Trump’s solar tariffs that negatively impact the American solar industry.
