Nevada Lawmakers Advance Suite of Solar Energy Bills

Vote Solar Applauds Bipartisan State Leadership on Building a Strong Local Clean Energy Economy

Carson City, Nev. – Yesterday the Nevada Legislature passed a suite of renewable energy bills that are poised to make the state a national leader in solar development and job creation. Vote Solar, a non-profit organization working to advance solar opportunity nationwide, applauded lawmakers for passing the following bills that will create diverse new solar market opportunities in the state:

• Senate Bill 392: establishes a new statewide community solar program that will ensure that renters, low-income families, and others have the opportunity to participate in the state’s growing clean energy economy.
• Assembly Bill 405: restores rooftop solar options in the state by reinstating fair compensation to solar customers for the energy they send back to the grid, reversing a damaging 2015 decision that cost Nevada hundreds of local solar jobs.
• Assembly Bill 206: increases Nevada’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) so that 40% of the state’s utility power will come from clean energy sources like wind and solar by 2030.

The bills now move to Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval for his signature.

“In Nevada and across the country, overwhelming majorities of Republican and Democratic voters alike want more solar powering their communities, and it’s exciting to see Nevada’s elected officials standing strong for their constituents by standing strong for clean energy,” said Jessica Scott, Interior West director for Vote Solar. “We thank Nevada’s lawmakers for making clean energy innovation, job creation and security a priority in this year’s legislative session. We urge Governor Sandoval to sign all three bills into law and make Nevada a leader in our nation’s growing clean energy economy.”

Today, more than 20,000 people work in Nevada’s energy efficiency and solar energy industries and more than $6 billion has been invested in renewable energy in the state. If signed into law, these bills will unleash further clean energy investment and job creation in the state.

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Vote Solar is a non-profit organization working to foster economic development and energy independence by bringing solar energy to the mainstream nationwide. Learn more at www.votesolar.org