Hanwha SolarOne, a top-10 global PV manufacturer of solar modules, has officially joined the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) at the board level. Hanwha SolarOne is a flagship company of Hanwha Group, one of South Korea's largest enterprises and a Fortune Global 500 firm.

"Many important decisions are being made right now at the federal, state and local levels which will affect the solar industry in America for years to come," said Steve Kang, president of Hanwha SolarOne USA. "Hanwha SolarOne will work with SEIA to help find solutions which will bring affordable solar energy to all Americans."

America's solar energy industry employs 143,000 workers at more than 6,100 companies, most of which are small businesses spread across the United States, making solar one of the fastest-growing industries in America. Part of this amazing growth is attributed to the fact that the average cost of a solar system has dropped by nearly 40% over the past two years. Today, there are more than 14.8 GW of solar electric capacity installed in the United States - enough to power more than three million American homes.