Solar and American values go hand in hand

Independence, self-reliance, and freedom to choose how we spend our hard-earned dollars. These are the values that America was founded on—and they’re also qualities you can achieve with solar energy. 

As Alex Hay, co-founder of Gold Path Solar, puts it: Going solar is “similar to home ownership, it’s kind of the American dream.”

A ton of solar technology is made in America, and it's powered by Americans. When you put solar panels on your roof, you put power—literally—in your hands. Keep reading or tune in to our episode of Plugged In to learn about how American-made solar is booming, how it's powering our economy, and why energy independence starts on your rooftop.

Contrary to popular belief, much of today's solar technology is made in America. The transformation has been remarkable: In just eight years, America rocketed from 14th place to third place globally in solar manufacturing capacity. We now produce enough solar technology to meet nearly all domestic demand, with manufacturing facilities spanning 41 states and more investment on the way.

Two of those facilities belong to Qcells, a leading solar manufacturing company. Scott Moskowitz, Qcells' vice president of market strategy and industry affairs, told us that building their two Georgia factories "was kind of the dream."

"Slowly but surely, this stuff is getting reshored. And in some cases, there's incentive to do it directly," Moskowitz said, referring to the federal solar tax credits that support U.S. clean energy manufacturing. "Ideally, there will be solar factories all over the country."

Qcells ranks as the second-biggest U.S. solar manufacturer behind First Solar, which is headquartered in Ohio with additional factories in Alabama and Louisiana. Dozens of other manufacturers have joined the movement: Silfab Solar operates a factory in Washington, Jinko Solar in Florida, and Mission Solar in Texas, to name just a few.

And those are only companies that produce solar panels: Enphase manufactures solar inverters in South Carolina and Texas, while Solar Edge runs its own inverter facility in Florida. When you include solar trackers, mounting equipment, and other solar energy system components, nearly 180 solar-related facilities now operate across the U.S. This represents a significant shift in manufacturing, considering that companies typically move production overseas to cut costs.

"This isn't the cheapest place to build a factory, however, policy has really shifted the market," explains Moskowitz. "Most of the time you, in fact, do want a U.S. product because it will be the most cost competitive and it's going to give you the least amount of uncertainty."

While it’s true that American solar manufacturing has come a long way, it has a ways to go. Most companies still need to maintain some manufacturing facilities outside the States, and solar systems often include imported components.

"We still have a lot of work to do," Moskowitz said, "But it's something that five years ago no one would have imagined was possible."

The progress is undeniable. We're rapidly building a complete supply chain on American soil, and solar cell production restarted here in 2024 for the first time since 2019Installers who work with these products daily say homeowners can trust the quality of American-made solar products.

"Anytime you have U.S.-made products, you're not having to ship them across the globe, you're going to have a lot less issues," said Hay. "We're actually starting to see American-made products be very competitive."

When you buy American-made solar, you're not just powering your home—you're powering the American economy.

According to Moskowitz, Qcells' factories directly employ 4,000 people but support almost 15,000 jobs throughout their communities—everything from maintenance workers and cleaning staff to the businesses that pop up to support their businesses. This goes for other U.S. factories, too—it’s what economists call the multiplier effect.

Plus, there are many more jobs within the U.S. solar industry. According to the latest IREC National Solar Jobs Census, about 454,000 Americans work in the solar or clean energy storage industry. Nearly 64% of these jobs involve installation work and project development, often through local small business solar installers serving communities nationwide.

Over 20,000 solar jobs are filled by military veterans. Just ask Mike Tabb.He entered the solar industry 14 years ago working on utility-scale solar farms, worked his way through companies large and small, and now leads his own solar installation company—The Integrity Energy Group—serving homeowners in Alabama and Florida. Tabb says most of his customers are fellow veterans.

“Mostly retired-aged veterans. I've done solar for 28-year SEALs, Ranger Regiment guys over at Eglin Air Force Base, first sergeants... people who have done some amazing things for this nation,” Tabb said.

According to Tabb, there’s a reason why military members gravitate toward solar energy: It aligns with being solution-oriented.

“When we see a problem, whatever that problem may be—high power bill, grid keeps going out—we have to, and will, find solutions to it,” Tabb said.

Many U.S. veterans are also used to seeing solar energy in action. Military bases nationwide run on solar power, and the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs lead all federal agencies in renewable energy adoption.

This military-solar connection inspired Coastal Carolina University students to bring solar power to veterans in their community. In 2018, VFW Post 10804 in Little River, South Carolina, became the first VFW to go solar. Cat Sweeney, a former RE-volv Solar Ambassador who helped launch the project, said it made sense to "give the benefit of solar to the veterans who have already helped us."

“If they only spend their money on electricity, they can't spend their money doing the events they want to do for the veterans. We thought that would be the most impactful project,” said Sweeney.

The success of VFW Post 10804 also led to another installation at nearby VFW 10420.

Once people understand how solar energy works, it's easy to see why it resonates with American principles.

“You hear people talk about wanting to embody American values of individualism or freedom, what does that mean? It means not being under the control of some dictatorship or something like that, or basically having options of the free market.All the things that people tend to associate with American values—that's what solar is,” said Hay.

That’s why we have to keep fighting for more solar adoption in America—especially now. Our country needs more electricity than ever. With AI data centers, widespread electrification, and more frequent severe weather events, energy demand is skyrocketing nationwide.

“We're meeting with Democrats and Republicans, no matter who we talk to we say, look this stuff is important not just because it's clean and renewable, but because it's cheap and reliable, and we are saving people on their electric bills,” said Moskowitz.

Breaking free from foreign energy dependence and monopoly utilities

Solar energy offers America a pathway to true energy independence while helping individual households achieve their own energy autonomy. Many Americans rely on imported energy, which explains why electricity prices spike during international crises—like when costs surged in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. That foreign energy typically gets delivered to homes through monopoly utility companies, which then pass on those cost increases to customers.

It contradicts the fundamental American values of independence and choice.

“Solar and battery systems can not only create freedom for the end consumer from a power bill, but then if we have a grid outage or some instability, we have that backup capability,” said Tabb. “If we really want to zoom out, it can create some freedom from the utility during peak demand hours.”

"Solar equals energy independence," said Martyna Kowalczyk, owner of Solartime USA in Texas.

"You want to be independent from utility raising your power bill, and actually providing you with power. So you generate your power. And during the day, you put it in your battery. You deploy that power at night. And then you repeat that cycle day and night," Kowalczyk explained.

True energy independence starts at home.

Solar is made in America and powered by Americans. When you install panels on your roof, you literally put power in your hands. With the solar tax credit now expiring at the end of the year, time is running out to save up roughly $9,000 on your solar panel system.

"There's never a better time than now. It's going to be cheap,” said Moskowitz. “It's going to go up on your roof, you're not really going to think about it much, but your utility bills will be lower.".

The choice is clear: Embrace energy independence, support American manufacturing, and join the solar revolution reshaping our economy and our energy future for the better.