Finding sure footing in 2025
When I try to find a topic for these introductions, I often come back to the admittedly surface-level thought that U.S. solar functions in fluctuating degrees of uncertainty. Then I sit with the thought a little longer and come up with something that’s timelier for that moment. However, this moment seems to be characterized by nothing but uncertainty.
It’s apparent how this presidential administration feels about renewables. The morning I wrote this, I read a proclamation published by the White House that it wishes to streamline project permitting, specifically citing a dire need to drill for more oil in the United States. Historic subsidies that have spurred solar construction at every market level are at risk of being rolled back. In the coming months, we will witness the effects that blanket import tariffs have on solar components and project pricing. It’s antithetical to this solar manufacturing renaissance we’ve experienced over the last few years.
These reality-affecting decisions, being made without our input, seem to come from a place out of our reach and out of touch with the needs of our world. What we have is a country that yearover- year has shattered records for solar installation. There has never been this much renewable energy on our grids, and there will undoubtedly be more added, but it’s unclear whether 2025 will be another standout year for solar. I hope that it is. In times of uncertainty, it’s best to focus on what is tangible. In this issue, we have some stories about maintaining what has already been built. The United States is home to more than 5 million solar projects generating more than 235 GW of clean electricity. From the few kilowatts on a residential rooftop up to the utility array covering several square miles, each of these solar projects needs upkeep to ensure that what the industry has already accomplished persists. What exists cannot easily be removed.
There has never been a straight path forward when it comes to solar progress. Even when building the smallest project, an installer must adapt to the quirks of that local construction authority. While the goal has always been the same, the people that make this industry have evolved to solve the issues of their time.
Perhaps the sun cannot be seen on overcast days, but its light still passes through the clouds. Thanks for reading.
Billy Ludt
Senior Editor
[email protected]
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