Established in 1997 by solar energy advocates, MSEIA is an historic and highly-effective non-profit membership organization created to advocate for solar energy incentives, create permanent solar energy jobs, a renewable energy infrastructure, and promote solar energy as a viable and important electric and hot water source. MSEIA accomplishes this by researching, designing and advocating for policies to grow solar energy; educate the public and policy-makers on the facts of solar energy and to remove barriers; promote local solar R&D and solar manufacturing; assist in designing policies and infrastructure to support solar on the local, state, and regional level; to inculcate solar electric and thermal energy as a significant portion of the energy supply; work in tangent with municipalities and local government to utilize and support rapid adoption of solar energy; and provide real-time data and experiences to demonstrate the value of solar energy in reducing global warming gasses and criteria air pollutants.