Speech at RENEW Wisconsin Summit

For those with a little time to kill and some interest, here is the YouTube link for my recent keynote speech at the RENEW Wisconsin Annual Policy Summit. It was a lot of fun. Thanks to both RENEW Wisconsin and IREC for supporting my visit!

Solar for Airports

A reporter friend from Milwaukee recently asked for some comments about a proposed solar installation at her local airport. I thought I would share my quick thoughts.

Who hasn't waited in lines at the airport? When we wait in our cars for family to arrive or when taxis wait for their fares, the result is a lot of pollution at airports. On sunny days, it can be even worse with air conditioners running at full blast and car engines heating the air. Add airplanes and ground handling equipment and airports can easily be the site of some of the worst air in the city. What a terrible way to welcome our guests!

Imagine instead silent, clean, efficient solar generation on roofs, covering parking lots, and taxi cab stands. Imagine if the first thing people saw when they visit was high-tech clean energy!

Imagine a city/county/airport authority being able to generate additional, much needed revenue for city functions from premium parking located under clean energy solar panels! Imagine energy with no fuel costs, ever.

That's the logic of solar at airports. Its a no-brainer.

North Carolina Avoided Cost - UPDATE

North Carolina Utilities Commission Docket E-100, sub. 136, the biennial avoided cost docket, has now ended the hearing, briefing, and proposed order phases. We are awaiting a decision. There was a partial stipulation and settlement that did not really address the issues that my client - North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, and our allies raised.

In one hopeful development, I saw that Commission staff, while not endorsing value of solar analysis in the current proceeding, does recommend a separate proceeding to address the issues in more detail.

NCSEA’s brief, written by outstanding attorney Michael Youth, lays out our positions very well. I have attached a PDF here.


NCSEA's filed Post-Hearing Brief (E-100, Sub 136)