More than 130 Companies Unite to Defend U.S. Solar Industry

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy (CASE) announced today that dozens more new companies have joined the coalition in the last week, ahead of a vote at the International Trade Commission, to urge policymakers to quickly find an equitable resolution to the SolarWorld anti-trade complaint. In its first week since its founding on November 8, CASE grew from 25 companies to 52 companies. In its second week, CASE doubled again to about 100 companies. Now, in just three weeks, CASE represents 132 companies and 13,134 direct solar employees at those solar firms, or 13% of the U.S. solar industry workforce.

"We demand a resolution to this trade dispute before irreparable damage is done to the great progress that has been made in the domestic solar industry towards making affordable solar energy a reality," said George Hershman, Vice President of Swinerton Builders Renewable Energy and a new CASE member from one of the nation's longest established and most reputable construction companies. "We have over 1,100 employees working across the country who would be negatively impacted by higher solar panel prices. Let's not move backwards when together we can and should be making huge strides forward."

CASE member companies employ solar professionals across every major region and in more than two dozen states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, among others.

"The rapid price reduction of solar panels in the last year has opened up new markets in the U.S. where solar was not previously cost competitive with grid power," says Joe Bono, CEO of Solar Universe, a new CASE member representing 200 jobs. "This is an opportunity for more jobs and lower utility bills, a trend America needs."

"The solar industry is uniting in its opposition to SolarWorld's actions, which threaten to stall decades of solar industry growth and development." said Jigar Shah, co-founder of CASE and founder of SunEdison. We cannot prioritize 3% of American solar industry jobs over the remaining 97%. We cannot prioritize the fate of one company over the success of one of America's fastest growing industries, particularly given its strategic importance to our nation's future."

To learn more about the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy (CASE), please visit our website: www.coalition4affordablesolar.org .

SOURCE Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy