Goal is to Cut Solar Costs in Half by Eliminating Paperwork and Red Tape

Orlando, FL, September 7, 2012 - The American Solar Energy Society's new

campaign, Solar Freedom Now (SFN), is taking on the biggest cost hurdle for
solar power - the paperwork and red tape that doubles installation costs.
The organization's goal is to make it as easy and fast to install rooftop
solar panels as it is to install a satellite TV dish.

Panel Costs Have Plummeted, but Installations are Still Expensive

"Solar systems cost twice as much in the U.S. compared to Germany," said
solar industry leader Barry Cinnamon (see: "Cut the Price of Solar in Half"
at Forbes.com). Studies by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and by
the University of California, Berkeley both confirm that these higher prices
are almost exclusively related to the paperwork it takes to "officially"
install a standard rooftop system in the U.S. "This red tape is holding
back the industry from creating even more jobs, driving innovation, and
building true energy security for our nation," said Cinnamon.

"It takes only days to install a system in Germany compared to months in the
U.S," noted former Sharp Solar executive Ron Kenedi. "I can tell you from
personal experience - as well as 30 years in the solar industry - that we
can install safe, code-compliant systems here in the U.S. just as fast as
they do in Germany. All the extra time, paperwork and inspections simply
add to the installed cost of our systems. We are very pleased that ASES
agreed to take this important effort on as an official project. ASES has
been working effectively at the grass roots level for decades on critical
solar issues like this," said Kenedi.

A National Approach to Paperwork and Red Tape is Required

"With 18,000 cities, 3,000 utilities and 50 states all setting their own
rules and procedures for solar installations, we absolutely need a national
approach to eliminating this paperwork and red tape," said Susan Greene,
President of ASES. "ASES is proud to team up with industry leaders to
launch Solar Freedom Now to ensure a coordinated effort across every state,
city and utility across the U.S," said Greene.

Changes like this start and are sustained at the grass roots level, and
Solar Freedom Now's first goal is to generate wide spread support for
eliminating burdensome paperwork and red tape. "For almost 60 years, ASES
has been working to promote safe, affordable solar energy. We see Solar
Freedom Now as the best path forward to reduce these stubbornly high
installation costs", said Greene.

Stop by the ASES booth #3760 at Solar Power International 2012 to sign up as
a supporter and to get more information about Solar Freedom Now. You can
also sign up at www.solarfreedomnow.org or Facebook at Solar Freedom.

About Solar Freedom Now

Solar Freedom Now is dedicated to making solar power affordable for all
Americans by eliminating paperwork and red-tape. For more information, go
to: www.solarfreedomnow.org and please like us on Facebook at "Solar Freedom
Now."