(Originally published on 2/14/2014 – ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO – Now listen to the spin today (1/22/18) that Trump is going to kill the solar industry! – Who do you think is promoting this nonsense? – Chinese cell manufacturers!)
I was SEIA’s first, and for a long time, only Louisiana member. We know who to support (and who not to) in the Solar business from our long time involvement (since 2003). I paid our SEIA dues and proudly displayed the SEIA logo on our website. Since other solar companies typically follow our lead, several of them joined SEIA as well. Now, it’s time to say goodbye SEIA for good! Here’s why:
Strike 1 – SEIA allowed a New Orleans, LA “industry” group in 2013, funded by leasing companies, to be a SEIA chapter when the group’s members were not even SEIA members. The leasing group was able to use the SEIA national name to push their agenda, advancing leasing while damaging Louisiana solar sales tax credits and net-metering. They did all this while claiming to be the industry voice.
Strike 2 – SEIA sent us a renewal invoice with a 50% increase over last year’s already high dues with no added benefit. Really? They were already too high for the average solar business to pay.
Strike 3 – READ THIS – IMPORTANT – SEIA came out against the American solar manufacturers and sided with the Chinese manufacturers in the US International Trade Commission decision. In the year before the solar module import tariff was put in place, over a dozen US solar manufacturers went out of business. This was a direct result from $26.5 Billion in Chinese government subsidized modules being dumped in the US. Why would SEIA come out against American manufacturers? Seriously, opposing Solarworld, the oldest American solar manufacturer? Money maybe? Isn’t SEIA an American non-profit located in America?
SEIA – 3 strikes, you’re out. We won’t be renewing, and I’m sure those solar companies that follow us, won’t be either. If they stay I’ll bet they are Chinese product or leasing based. (Take a look at the current SEIA board)
So Goodbye SEIA… “SEIA later”
UPDATE: All companies (other than the leasing company) left SEIA. It appears the “industry group” chapter of SEIA has nearly disbanded/imploded as a result of the disruptive actions they took favoring leasing.
