Did you know New Jersey generates more solar energy than any other
state except California?
New Jersey, hundreds of miles to the north of Georgia,
has 320 megaWatts installed
and 329 megaWatts in the pipeline.
This is according to Richard Polich of KEMA at the
Georgia Solar Summit this morning.
New Jersey, not even Arizona is number 2 in solar in the U.S.
According to
a recent Arizona State University study,
Georgia is the third top state “that would benefit from solar deployment
through generating and exporting energy to other states”.
Here’s a business opportunity for Georgia!
In his morning keynote at the sold-out
Southern Solar Summit,
Col. Dan Nolan (U.S. Army ret.) asked the musical question:
“When did our Marines become Birkenstock-wearing tree huggers?”
This was after some Marines asked for solar power so they wouldn’t
have to haul fuel in long convoys, which were among the most dangerous missions.
Most of that fuel was going into very inefficient generators to run
very inefficient air conditioners in tents in the desert.
Dealing with that got the military thinking about energy security:
assured access to mission-critical energy.
Looking up, he asked:
“What is it we as a nation need to understand about our own energy security?”
He identified America’s strategic center of gravity as its economy.
It’s very resilient but has vulnerabilities open to attack.
So how do we secure those vulnerabilities?
Of course we can! And “a mix of energy efficiency, [energy conservation,]
and new renewable energy projects” (e.g. solar, wind, geothermal)is the
way to go. We simply need the political will and communal support to
make such a transition possible.
I am still in Germany and am amazed to see just how much progress has been
made here in these past couple of years. Solar thermal and solar voltaic
installations abound on private residences; wind mills can be seen in
many regions; cars are more fuel efficient, houses better insulated,
public transportation accessible and affordable, recycling thoroughly
organized, etc.
…the nexus between sustainability and job creation.
Every now and then, perhaps once in a generation,
there presents itself a moment, an opportunity,
for those cities that are willing to seize it,
to truly benefit the region for generations to come.
At an event this afternoon at UT-San Antonio, Mayor Julian Castro
announced a suite of green energy projects that he said would position
San Antonio as the nation’s “recognized leader in clean energy technology”
and help fulfill his aggressive environmental goals.
Most notably, Castro and leaders from CPS Energy, the city-owned utility,
pledged to shut down one of its coal-fired power plants 15 years ahead
of schedule. By 2018, the city would mothball the 871-megawatt J.T. Deely
Power Plant — a bold move in a growing state that’s seemingly addicted
to coal.
Thomas A. Fanning, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company,
says his company is committed to communities, renewable energy, and
energy efficiency.
So
helping finance municipal refitting and solar projects
should be a natural for Southern Company!
Fanning also emphasized a continued commitment to the communities the
company serves and stressed the need for a national energy policy and
a robust research and development initiative.
“Southern Company keeps customers at the center of every decision
we make,” said Fanning. “We remain committed to providing reliable,
affordable energy for our customers and to do that we need to maintain
a diverse fuel mix as well as stay focused on developing the newest
technologies.”
Referencing a diverse fuel mix, Fanning highlighted the company’s
commitment to nuclear energy, including building the nation’s first new
units in 30 years. He also discussed the importance of preserving coal –
America’s most abundant energy resource – as well as the role of natural
gas, renewable energy and energy efficiency in meeting its customers
energy needs.
“Furthermore, we are the only company in the industry that is doing
it all. We’ve committed more than $20 billion to these efforts,”
Fanning said.
Leigh Touchton, president of the Valdosta-Lowndes NAACP,
says the local and state NAACP are opposed to the biomass plant
because the community that is most affected is the minority community.
She referred to her previous presentation of a letter from
Dr. Robert D. Bullard.
She also brought up an incident with Brad Lofton and recommended
that VLCIA hire an executive director who wouldn’t act like that.
And she said she deals with VSEB all the time:
I’ve taken men through there, I’ve signed them up.
She referred to me when she said that, so what I said before
is appended after the video.
The health of the community is way more important than the job —Leigh Touchton
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Acting Executive Director,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 17 May 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
What I actually recommended regarding VSEB, in response to
a specific request from Leigh Touchton for recommendations,
was maybe schedule a meeting with Roy Copeland to talk about
VSEB and solar job opportunities:Continue reading →
Birmingham is to host the annual Solar Power UK Conference and
Exhibitionin October 2011. Over 3000 solar industry participants, 30% of
which will be overseas visitors, are due to descend on the city during
the conference following sell out events in Munich and London in 2010,
generating a predicted £4.15m for the city.
That’s about $6.7 million U.S. dollars.
It is the only time the event has been hosted outside of London in the
UK and the first time the conference will be lighting up the city. The
decision comes as Birmingham is increasingly recognised as a hub for the
developing UK solar industry…
So becoming a leader in solar netted Birmingham a major conference,
which brings income in addition to the jobs and energy generated
directly by the solar projects.
The Georgia Solar Energy Association (GSEA) is holding
a conference
Friday a week from today in Atlanta,
and you can still sign up at the advance rate today.
Sounds like a good place for networking potential projects.
Announcing Solar Summit 2011! Join utilities and policy experts from around the country as we present a full day of panel discussions and presentations on solar renewables. With the theme, “Solar Works in Georgia” GSEA will layout the roadmap for success in Georgia.
Where:
GTRI Conference Center- 250 14th Street, Atlanta, GA 30318
When:
Friday, June 24th 8a-4p
How:
Tickets on sale now
What:
$79 before June 15th — EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, 6/17 $99 at the door
Coffee starts at 7:45 AM, with the Welcome session at 8:15 and keynote speaker Col. Dan Nolan (USArmy Ret.)
speaking at 8:30 on “The Military’s integration of Green Energy”.
Another panel notes, “A recent ASU study ranked Georgia 3rd in the nation for solar development potential.”
That would be
this study.
A wide range of speakers come from industry, military, finance, and government.
Sounds like a networking opportunity.
Maybe even a good place to pitch a municipal solar project.
Did you know New Jersey generates more solar energy than any other
state except California?
New Jersey, hundreds of miles to the north of Georgia,
has 320 megaWatts installed
and 329 megaWatts in the pipeline.
This is according to Richard Polich of KEMA at the
Georgia Solar Summit this morning.
