Environment & Sustainability
Solar technologies offer a number of environmental benefits, including the reduction of harmful pollutants and carbon emissions in comparison to fossil fuel-based energy sources. Climate change, sustainability and recycling are all major areas of focus of the solar industry, which is taking steps to address environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle of solar products and projects.
Climate Change
Solar energy plays an important role in transitioning the U.S. to a low-carbon, sustainable future. Solar technologies can provide innovative, cost-effective solutions to reduce emissions in a number of sectors of the economy.
Keep ReadingRecycling & End-of-Life Considerations for PV
The falling cost of solar has made renewable energy accessible to more people than ever before and has resulted in an exponential increase in solar adoption. As such, end-of-life management is important for all PV technologies to ensure clean energy solutions are a sustainable component of the energy economy for future generations.
Keep ReadingEnvironmental Impacts of Utility-Scale Solar
There are a number of environmental factors related to the construction and maintenance of utility-scale solar power plants, including water use, habitat conservation, and land use.
The Solar Industry Commitment to Environmental & Social Responsibility
Deploying more solar energy will sharply reduce the carbon, sulfur and mercury pollution that come from burning fossil fuels, saving approximately 60,000 American lives each year.
Related News
Solar Industry Launches Nonprofit to Alleviate Clean Energy Roadblocks
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is launching a 501(c)3 nonprofit to accelerate the transition to carbon-free electricity through clean energy research and analysis.
Earth Day 2022: America’s Clean Energy Progress Under Threat
Earth Day 2021 and Earth Day 2022 couldn’t be more different. In 2021, the Biden administration announced its Build Back Better agenda and its plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. This year, while legislation is stalled, the very same administration imperiled its goal with an investigation that will not only impede solar and storage growth, but cause the United States to go backward on its climate goals.
White House Takes a Step in the Right Direction with Final NEPA Rule
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released a final rule today which strengthens environmental reviews of infrastructure, including solar and transmission projects on federal lands, under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).