ATLANTA – U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga, described Tuesday how the recently enacted solar energy manufacturing law he sponsored will benefit Georgians and the country.
The new law – part of the broader package of tax, energy, and health-care reforms passed by Congress earlier this month – will provide tax credits to incentivize American solar technology production.
“This is going to boost our domestic manufacturing of solar products,” Ossoff said. “As demand for these products continues to skyrocket, we want to make sure that these products are produced here in Georgia and here in the United States.”
Enhancing renewable energy production is important to American national security and energy independence, Ossoff said. The law will also create thousands of jobs, he said.
Qcells North America – a solar technology company – owns a solar manufacturing plant in Dalton that employees 750 people.
The company plans to hire around 500 more employees as a result of the new law, said Scott Moskovitz, head of market strategy for the company.
Ossoff also discussed the new electric vehicle tax credits that were included in the legislation. Some critics have said the credits will not benefit enough people.
“Part of the credit is based upon where the final assembly vehicle is located, [and] part of it is based upon the composition of the battery,” Ossoff said. “That is a compromise that was arrived at in the Senate.”
Ossoff said his office will continue to monitor implementation of the EV tax credits to try to ensure they benefit the most people.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.