SEPA CEO Julia Hamm: Solar industry will respond to Trump tariffs with more innovation, efficiency

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the announcement of President Donald Trump’s decision in the Section 201 solar trade case, raising tariffs on solar cells and modules, Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), has released the following statement.

“A robust, competitive solar market is essential to the United States’ transition to the clean, safe, affordable and resilient energy future that SEPA and all its members are working toward. The President’s action in the solar trade case will trigger economic disruptions in many segments of the industry, thus threatening our common vision and the many benefits clean energy can bring to American consumers and businesses.

“The challenge that lies before us will be to concentrate our efforts on accelerating the innovation and efficiency that will drive down costs across other parts of the energy value chain. For example, SEPA has partnered with the Department of Energy and other stakeholders on the Orange Button initiative, which is already helping to lower financing and other soft costs for solar projects. It is but one example of the kind of solutions our industry will develop to benefit utilities, consumers, the solar industry and the grid — regardless of federal policy decisions.”

Media contact: K Kaufmann, [email protected] or 202-494-4386.