SEPA Responds to Chinese Solar Group Using SEPA Acronym

Dear Utility Solar Stakeholder,

Recently, representatives of the Chinese solar industry formed a new alliance and named it “the Solar Energy Promotion Alliance” in response to the U.S. preliminary ruling of levying anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese photovoltaic exporters. Unfortunately, the alliance is using the acronym – SEPA – which is the acronym that we at the Solar Electric Power Association have been using since 2000.

Since the mission of the Chinese alliance is unrelated to our mission at the Solar Electric Power Association, we feel that is important to make you aware of their choice of name and their current use of the SEPA acronym.

In response, we are expressing our concern to their use of the acronym directly to the new Chinese alliance since it is important that the two organizations be seen as distinctly different.

As you know, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios. With more than 1,000 utility and solar industry members, SEPA provides utility solar market intelligence, up-to-date information about technologies and utility solar business models, and peer-to-peer interaction.

If you have any questions about this matter, please do not hesitate to contact Don Lintvet, Vice President of Outreach, [email protected] with any questions.

Regards,

Julia Hamm President & CEO Solar Electric Power Association