Michael Allen, Sun This Week, September 22, 2022
To the editor:
Minnesotans looking to make energy improvements and snag savings – this is a big year. The Inflation Reduction Act, which was recently passed by Congress makes historic investments in clean energy and a suite of energy efficiency tax credits and rebates that will save consumers money on their monthly energy bills and help our nation decrease emissions overall by 40% by 2030.
As a business owner, this bill offers reassurance – and a decade of certainty, offering consumers a 30% tax credit when they install rooftop solar, starting this year. It also makes a small, but important change for non-tax paying customers like cities, counties and schools to make it easier and more affordable to install solar. This benefits everyone, lower operating costs for the clients, and lower property taxes for area residents.
The bill also incentivizes U.S. manufacturing of solar panels – something all Minnesotans should care about, as we are home to one of the largest solar panel manufacturing facilities in the United States.
Heliene, a Canadian-owned manufacturer located in Mountain Iron, Minnesota, opened up shop about five years ago and recently completed a major expansion. Investing in domestic manufacturing is also an issue of national security – the war in Ukraine and ongoing tension with China has shown us the importance of this.
My business, All Energy Solar has installed thousands of projects across the South Metro. Dakota County residents are fortunate to live in an area with such a forward-thinking utility. Dakota County Electric does a good job of listening to their customers and providing an array of renewable energy options.
I’m also happy we have Rep. Angie Craig as our U.S. representative. Craig voted to pass the Inflation
Reduction Act, citing the nearly $400 billion investment in clean energy provisions as one of several motivating factors. We need our local, state and federally elected legislators to know we support them in this fight to curb climate emissions, support good-paying jobs, and transition our economy to one powered by affordable, clean energy.
Michael Allen
CEO of All Energy Solar
Read the full letter here