"On April 22, 1970, when the very first Earth Day was held, there was virtually no solar energy powering the grid in the United States. How times have changed. Today, there are 7.7 gigawatts (GW) of solar installed in the U.S." - Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA

WASHINGTON, DC -- In celebration of the 43rd annual Earth Day, Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, released the following statement:

"On April 22, 1970, when the very first Earth Day was held, there was virtually no solar energy powering the grid in the United States. How times have changed.

"Today, there are 7.7 gigawatts (GW) of solar installed in the U.S. – enough to power more than 1.2 million American homes – and 5.2 GW is expected to be installed this year.

"On this Earth Day, we celebrate all of the hard-working Americans who have worked tirelessly on rooftops, in factories and in laboratories across our nation to help make solar the fastest-growing energy source in the United States. Each of them is doing their part to move our nation towards a cleaner, more secure and more sustainable energy supply.

"Today, we're also celebrating a notable achievement in Springfield, Ohio, where a major American business – which employs more than 2,000 people – is turning on a solar system that will allow it to generate virtually all of its electricity from the sun.

"Assurant Specialty Property – one of the Springfield-Dayton area's largest employers – has made clean energy a top priority and has invested in a state of-the-art solar facility, which will produce more than 1.9 million kilowatts (KW) of solar power annually.

"This kind of amazing success story is happening all across our nation as more and more companies and homeowners go solar. The 5,600 businesses and nearly 120,000 American workers that make up the U.S. solar industry are working hard every single day to harness the unlimited power of the sun. In turn, this is helping to make our economy stronger and to ensure future prosperity by providing a clean, affordable and inexhaustible supply of domestic energy."

About SEIA®:
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA and its 1,000 member companies are building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. www.seia.org