Solar showdown in Congress

With Congress back in session, renewable energy proponents are girding for a battle over legislation that could make or break the nascent solar power industry.

At stake in the energy bill now before Congress is the survival of a 30 percent investment tax credit that makes large-scale solar power plants a viable option for utilities under pressure to cut greenhouse gas emissions by obtaining more of their electricity from renewable sources. On the home front, a similar tax credit for residential solar installations is up for grabs as Congress tries to reconcile House and Senate versions of the energy legislation.