Solar Reaction Mixed to Union Stance

Ed Hill, President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), spoke at last week's annual trade show for the US solar energy industry. What conference attendees could all agree on was the significance of the moment: the president of one of the nation's largest unions delivering a prominent speech for the solar industry. Still smarting from a major solar policy failure in California, however, the industry could not agree on how to fully interpret his remarks and, more importantly, what the next steps are for this tenuous relationship.

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The necessary background to this situation is that the IBEW -- or more specifically, the local representatives of the IBEW in California -- are widely considered to be the main reason for the legislative failure of SB1, the Million Solar Roofs Initiative in California.

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Despite the sour taste from SB1, many conference attendees did see the speech as a conciliatory move on Hill's part and believe that if done right, a cooperative arrangement with the IBEW could be a positive one for the industry.