Who knew that the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 would include the extension of the renewable energy tax credit that is so necessary to maintain progress made thus far in the solar industry.  They kind of slipped that in there.  While the free market capitalist in me wants those unscrupulous banks to fail (and as I look through the other strange inclusions I get a little porked out), there is a credit freeze that’s killing businesses right now, and the unlocking of the good credit markets is nearly as important as the renewable tax credits themselves.

So what is included in this bill?

Renewable Tax Credit Extensions:  The Production Tax Credit (PTC) and the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) will be extended, which will solidify jobs and investment in the Solar and Wind industry. The PTC, which provides a tax credit for putting clean energy onto the grid, will be extened for 1 year, while the ITC, which allows homeowners and businesses to get a large credit for investing in renewable energy, will be extended for 8 years.

How can we get it to pass?

Really, the best way to flex your renewable muscles and help the renewable industry grow is to call your representative. This literally takes 5 minutes, and will help put a stamp on the validity of the bill.  Here is a resource to help you find your representative’s number.