…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.
Banks and power companies can fund municipal solar projects;
cities and counties don’t have to wait for state or federal governments
to provide them grants.
Or at least Birmingham, U.K. has done it for public housing.
And
Quitman, Georgia did it last year, too.
Plans to fit power generating solar panels to council-owned properties
in Birmingham will be pushed forward this week after the council agreed a
“green new deal” scheme covering 10,000 homes.
In the biggest proposal for retrofitting houses through an energy
efficiency upgrade yet seen in the UK, the council agreed a £100m
proposal last week designed to create jobs and meet the city’s ambitious
targets for reducing carbon emissions.
The plan – Birmingham Energy Savers – will be jointly funded by
Birmingham council and investment from energy suppliers and commercial
banks, and follows two successful pilot schemes conducted in Europe’s
biggest local authority.
Georgia utility regulator Lauren McDonald wants Georgia Power to come
up with options in the next 30 days for expanding the tiny amount of
electricity generated from solar power..
“I think we need to take an aggressive move and explore what we can
do,” McDonald, a veteran member of the Public Service Commission, told
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I don’t think the company and
even our staff has been challenged to the degree that they should be.”
Georgia Power responded saying they would “comply”.
Which doesn’t mean much since there’s nothing but one person’s
opinion to comply with.
I tend to agree with Neill Herring on this one:
Neill Herring, a lobbyist for the Sierra Club, called the action “back
scratching.”
“They both get to look responsible,” said Herring, adding that there’s a
growing and vocal solar lobby in Georgia. “They have to deal with those
people. That’s what this is about.”
So I guess we need to be more vocal to get them to scratch harder.
The article notes:
Georgia Power has resisted building solar and other alternative energy
projects for years, citing cost and a cloudy Southeast as the two
main issues.
…insolation values in Georgia are significant enough to support solar
energy systems in our state, with the southern two-thirds of Georgia
having equivalent solar insolation values to most of the state of Florida.
Also more sun than Houston, which is busily deploying solar,
and the same amount as Austin, which is a national leader in solar.
You may also notice Hannah Solar among GSEA’s sponsors. Hannah Solar knows quite a bit about incentives; their CEO Pete Marte was at the governor’s signing of the recent expansion of state incentives. More about
HB 346.
It might be worth talking to Georgia Power. Their new CEO claims
to be “bullish on solar”, they just connected Wiregrass Solar’s
plant in Valdosta, and they’re doing various “experiments” and
“demonstrations”. Maybe they need to do a demonstration above Valdosta
City Hall’s parking lot….
City officials and staff gathered Wednesday night to discuss and review
the fiscal year 2012 budget. Public participation was advertised, but
no citizens presented any concern at the meeting. This is the first
budget hearing, with the final adoption of the budget taking place at
the upcoming regular City Council meeting on June 23 at 5:30 p.m.
That’s too bad, because among the items discussed was this:
Energy and fuel prices are a threat, since the private sector controls
the costs. Public Works, the Valdosta Fire Department and the Valdosta
Police Department use significant amounts of fuel.
And I bet the city spends significant funds air conditioning its buildings.
Costs that could be offset by investment in solar panels for those same
buildings.
Solar panels that would limit ongoing electrical expenditures,
and would also be a visible sign to residents and potential
investors that Valdosta means renewable and sustainable energy business.
According to Hanson, for every dollar spent by residents, $1.17 is spent
by non-residents.
And many of those non-residents would see those solar panels,
which would spread the green reputation of Valdosta back to whereever
they came from.
…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.
