Interstate Renewable Energy Council

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council, commonly known as IREC, is a United States nonprofit organization focused on expanding access to renewable and other clean-energy technologies. Established in 1982, it works at the intersection of public policy, technical standards, local government practice, education, and workforce development. Rather than selling consumer energy products, IREC functions as a national technical-assistance, research, advocacy, and capacity-building organization. IREC’s work addresses barriers that can slow or complicate clean-energy deployment. These include utility interconnection procedures, permitting and inspection practices, local government readiness, workforce shortages, inconsistent technical requirements, and limited access to reliable information. The organization produces analysis, model approaches, educational materials, and implementation support intended for regulators, utilities, local governments, training providers, employers, and community stakeholders. Its regulatory work has influenced renewable-energy policy and market rules in numerous U.S. states and in Puerto Rico. The organization’s principal activity areas are clean-energy workforce development, local clean-energy solutions, and regulatory engagement. In workforce development, IREC supports training systems, career information, employer and educator coordination, veteran-oriented initiatives, and efforts to make clean-energy employment more accessible to diverse and underserved populations. Its clean-energy career maps and related resources are designed to explain job pathways, skills, credentials, and advancement opportunities. Through the National Clean Energy Workforce Alliance, IREC brings together organizations working to improve education, training, recruitment, and placement outcomes. IREC’s local initiatives support municipalities and other local stakeholders seeking to make solar and distributed-energy deployment more practical. SolSmart, one of the best-known initiatives associated with this work, helps local governments improve solar permitting, zoning, planning, and customer-facing processes. The Sustainable Energy Action Committee provides a forum for addressing local code-enforcement and permitting issues affecting renewable-energy projects. In Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Solar Business Accelerator has supported solar-business development, workforce preparation, broader solar access, and solar-plus-storage microgrid deployment. In regulatory engagement, IREC participates in proceedings and policy discussions concerning distributed energy resources, including solar generation and energy storage. It advocates for more efficient interconnection processes and develops technical guidance, model rules, and best practices. The organization is also an accredited developer of American National Standards, reflecting its role in creating or maintaining consensus-based technical standards relevant to renewable-energy systems and installation practices. In 2021, IREC merged with The Solar Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1977 to promote solar energy in the United States. The Solar Foundation’s projects continued within IREC after the merger. Among the inherited initiatives is the National Solar Jobs Census, an annual publication that tracks employment and workforce trends in the U.S. solar industry. Through this combination, IREC broadened its workforce, labor-market, research, and industry-development activities while retaining its longstanding emphasis on technical quality and public-interest clean-energy deployment. IREC is governed by a board of directors and supported by technical, policy, research, and program specialists. Its positioning is that of an independent, mission-driven intermediary: it does not operate as a utility or equipment manufacturer, but helps public agencies, market participants, educators, and communities create the conditions for reliable, equitable, and scalable clean-energy adoption.

IREC was established in 1982 as a nonprofit organization addressing the policy, regulatory, technical, and educational conditions needed for renewable-energy growth in the United States. From its early work onward, the organization operated across state and local boundaries, helping shape rules and practices affecting renewable-energy systems, distributed generation, training, and market participation. Over the following decades, IREC developed a role as a technical and policy intermediary. Its work included participation in regulatory proceedings, preparation of model rules and best-practice recommendations, and assistance with renewable-energy interconnection processes. Interconnection is a particularly important area because it determines how customer-sited and distributed energy resources connect to utility systems. By addressing procedures, technical requirements, and administrative efficiency, IREC sought to reduce unnecessary barriers while supporting safe and reliable deployment. IREC also became active in education and workforce development. It supported renewable-energy training programs and produced career-oriented resources intended to help students, workers, veterans, educators, employers, and public agencies understand the skills and pathways associated with clean-energy employment. The organization has described its training and career resources as reaching thousands of learners and tens of thousands of people seeking information about clean-energy careers. Its workforce approach emphasizes both technical preparation and inclusion, including improved access for communities and candidates historically underrepresented in the energy sector. A second major strand of IREC’s history concerns local government. Renewable-energy deployment often depends on municipal zoning, permitting, inspection, planning, and code-enforcement systems. IREC’s local initiatives therefore focused on helping communities create clearer and more solar-friendly processes. SolSmart became a prominent vehicle for assisting local governments with solar-readiness improvements. The Sustainable Energy Action Committee created a national forum for local stakeholders dealing with permitting and code issues. In Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Solar Business Accelerator connected business support, workforce development, solar access, and solar-plus-storage microgrid objectives. In 2021, IREC merged with The Solar Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1977 to advance solar energy in the United States. The merger expanded IREC’s research and workforce portfolio and continued The Solar Foundation’s programs under the IREC umbrella. A notable continuing publication is the National Solar Jobs Census, which reports on employment and development trends in the American solar industry. The combination joined IREC’s longstanding regulatory and standards work with The Solar Foundation’s solar-industry research and workforce expertise. IREC’s current identity rests on three connected program areas: clean-energy workforce development strategies, local clean-energy solutions, and regulatory engagement. It works with public agencies, utilities, regulators, local governments, education and training providers, employers, and community organizations. The organization is also an accredited American National Standards developer, giving it a formal role in consensus-based technical standardization. Governed by a board of directors and staffed by technical and policy specialists, IREC remains an active U.S. nonprofit rather than a conventional commercial energy brand.

• 2021

  IREC merges with The Solar Foundation

  [1]Interstate Renewable Energy Councilen.wikipedia.org

  The merger brings The Solar Foundation’s solar workforce, research, and National Solar Jobs Census activities into IREC.

• 1982

  IREC is established

  [1]Interstate Renewable Energy Councilen.wikipedia.org

  The Interstate Renewable Energy Council begins operating as a nonprofit focused on renewable-energy policy, regulation, technical practice, and education.

• 1977

  The Solar Foundation is founded

  [1]Interstate Renewable Energy Councilen.wikipedia.org

  The Solar Foundation, later incorporated into IREC’s work, is established to promote solar energy in the United States.

Independent nonprofit technical-assistance and workforce-development organization supporting renewable-energy deployment, effective regulation, local-government readiness, technical standards, and inclusive clean-energy careers.

• Local government technical assistance

  SolSmart

  A program that helps local governments improve the policies and administrative processes that affect solar deployment. Its areas of assistance include permitting, zoning, planning, inspection, and related municipal practices. SolSmart is designed to make communities more solar-ready and reduce avoidable friction for residents, businesses, and project developers.

• Industry research and workforce intelligence

  National Solar Jobs Census

  An annual research report tracking employment and development trends in the U.S. solar industry. The census provides information about the size and direction of the solar workforce and supports policymakers, educators, employers, and workforce organizations planning training and recruitment initiatives.

• Workforce-development collaboration

  National Clean Energy Workforce Alliance

  A cross-sector collaboration intended to improve clean-energy education, training, and job-placement outcomes. The alliance also emphasizes inclusive access to expanding clean-energy career opportunities and coordination among employers, educators, public agencies, and workforce organizations.

• Regional clean-energy development

  Puerto Rico Solar Business Accelerator

  An initiative supporting solar-business development and workforce preparation in Puerto Rico. Its objectives include expanding solar access and supporting solar-plus-storage microgrid installations, connecting economic development and resilience with clean-energy deployment.

• Technical standards and regulatory guidance

  Renewable-energy standards and interconnection guidance

  IREC develops and promotes technical guidance, model rules, and best practices related to renewable energy, distributed-energy-resource interconnection, and deployment procedures. The organization is an accredited American National Standards developer and participates in regulatory processes intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of clean-energy market rules.

• SolSmart

  United States

  A local-government initiative promoting solar-friendly permitting, zoning, planning, and administrative practices.

  Outcome. Supports communities seeking to make solar deployment more accessible and predictable.

  Source
• Puerto Rico Solar Business Accelerator

  Puerto Rico

  A regional initiative linking solar-business growth, workforce development, expanded solar access, and solar-plus-storage microgrids.

  Outcome. Provides support for clean-energy businesses, workers, and resilient distributed-energy deployment in Puerto Rico.

  Source

• 2021

  Merge with The Solar FoundationM&A

  Background

  The combination brought together IREC’s regulatory, standards, local-government, and workforce work with The Solar Foundation’s solar research and industry-development programs.

  Action taken

  IREC merged with The Solar Foundation and continued the foundation’s programs, including the National Solar Jobs Census, under the IREC umbrella.

  Aftermath

  IREC gained an expanded solar-industry research and workforce portfolio while retaining its broader clean-energy policy and technical mission.

  Source

1. 1Interstate Renewable Energy Councilen.wikipedia.org
2. 2IREC official websiteirecusa.org