Podcasts about vote solar

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has unlocked unprecedented federal funding for solar energy, promising billions of dollars to transform the industry. But where is this money going, and how can residential solar installers capitalize on the opportunity? Industry experts reveal the strategies and programs that are poised to help drive solar adoption in rural and low-income communities across the country.Scott Nguyen, Co-founder and CEO of Bodhi, Sean Garren, Chief Program Officer at Vote Solar, and Corey Ramsden, VP of Go Solar Programs at Solar United Neighbors, share their insights on the nuances of these programs, the challenges facing low-income communities, and the innovative financing models that are emerging to make solar more accessible than ever before.Expect to learn:The expanded benefits of the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant and how it can reduce project costs by up to 50%.How the $7 billion Solar for All program is being rolled out across the country.Strategies for installers and developers to navigate the complexities of grant applications.Why compliance with federal guidelines, such as Davis-Bacon and Build America Buy America Act, can be a competitive advantage.Watch this and other insightful conversations recorded live at the PowerUp Live Podcast Stage at www.suncast.live!If you want to connect with today's guest, you'll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today's guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalusMentioned in this episode:CPS July 2024 V2

August 6, 2024 - State energy officials are exploring how to develop and manage their own new renewable energy projects, but advocates for publicly controlled green energy generation think they could do more. We discuss the New York Power Authority increasing transparency and moving faster with Lindsay Griffin, regulatory director of the Northeast for Vote Solar.

Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy spoke about the proposed community solar legislation in California with Derek Chernow with CCSA,  Stephanie Doyle from SEIA, and Steve Campbell from Vote Solar.   Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies.  He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market.   This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016.  He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets.  Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects.  He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio.  Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood's portfolio.   He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young.  Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University.  Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business.     Derek Chernow WESTERN REGIONAL DIRECTOR of CCSA(“Coalition for Community Solar Access”) Derek is a highly accomplished clean energy leader. He previously served as Executive Director of the California Alternative Energy & Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA), where he led all operations for the California agency charged with financing clean energy projects to spur economic development. Before CAEATFA, he spent many years working in the California State Legislature, including in the CA Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy & Transportation and as a Chief of Staff for multiple members. He also held leadership positions advocating for clean energy and environmental protection including Acting Director at the California Department of Conservation. In his spare time, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Sacramento Tree Foundation.   Stephanie Doyle She is the California State Affairs Director for SEIA(“Solar Energy Industries Association”).   SEIA is the national trade association for the U.S. solar industry.   Stephanie was the regulatory Director for California for Vote Solar, Climate Policy Associate for The Nature Conservancy, and the Director of National Partnerships and Outreach for Ciizens' Climate Lobby,  She also has experience as the On Deck Climate Tech Fellow and Fellow at the Clean Energy Leadership Institute.   Steve Campbell Steve is the Regulatory Director for the West for Vote Solar.  Vote Solar is a non-profit policy advocacy organization with the mission of making solar more accessible and affordable across the United States.  He worked as Western States Policy Director at Grid Alternatives and Associate Program Manager, Energy Efficiency and Climate Action at Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Derek Chernow Website:  https://communitysolaraccess.org/ Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-chernow-9a358444/ CCSA Summit:  https://web.cvent.com/event/4d08858f-5aef-4a10-8340-6111b45325fd/summary   Stephanie Doyle Website:  https://www.seia.org/ Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieedoyle/ SEIA Events:  https://www.seia.org/events   Steve Campbell Website:  https://votesolar.org/ Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/allthink/ Google: California Community Solar CPUC Public Comment Proceeding No.  A.22.05.022

Climate change has sparked a sharp rise in fires, floods and other natural calamities. Now, the Biden administration has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to speed up victims' ability to get immediate monetary support through benefits including “displacement assistance.” In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey has released the first round of funding for cities impacted by flooding last year. Plus, new research reveals plastic water bottles have up to 100 times more tiny plastic particles than previously estimated — a threat to the environment and health. And bitter cold unplugged electric vehicles across the country as batteries lost their charge. It's Under the Radar's Environmental News Roundtable. GUESTS Dr. Gaurab Basu, director of education and policy at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health Beth Daley, executive editor and general manager of The Conversation U.S. Cabell Eames, policy consultant for Vote Solar

For more than 20 years, Adam Browning was solar's biggest cheerleader.There was 165 MW of interconnected solar in the U.S. in 2002 when Browning founded Vote Solar. The organization quickly evolved into the industry's preeminent advocacy group. When he stepped down as executive director in 2021, that figure stood at 122 GW.Today, Browning has his sights set on the next big decarbonization story, using lessons learned from solar's twists and turns to take on a "biblical" challenge.Episode 48 of the Factor This! podcast features an old friend to many in solar.Browning, now the executive vice president of policy and communications for the startup Forum Mobility, looks back on his storied career leading Vote Solar, reacts to the controversial NEM 3.0 ruling in California, and shares why he's starting over to takeon fleet electrification.After a year of producing Factor This, we want to hear from you. Let us know what you've liked and how we can improve. Do you want more frequent episodes? Different topics? Click the link in the episode description to fill out our first audience survey. And help make Factor This the best it can be. The GridTECH Connect Forum is coming to Newport, Rhode Island October 23rd through the 25th. Click the link in the description to save the date for this unique event that's bringing together developers, utilities, and regulators to take on the critical issue of interconnection in the Northeast.We'll be sharing more details on the agenda and speakers soon. Check out Grid TECH Connect dot com to learn more.

This week on Sea Change Radio, we dig into the archives and hear first from Sachu Constantine, the Executive Director of Vote Solar, a policy advocacy organization committed to expanding access to affordable solar energy. Constantine provides an update on net metering legislation in California, gives us a glimpse into what's happening in the community … Continue reading Vote Solar + Ketamine Therapy → This article and podcast Vote Solar + Ketamine Therapy appeared first on Sea Change Radio.

After a series of starts, stops, and outright confusion over the future of rooftop solar, California regulators have released their latest proposal to reform the state's net metering program. The process known as NEM 3.0 has pitted advocates against investor-owned utilities over how customers should be paid for sending excess solar power to the grid. And since it involves the country's largest solar market, the entire industry is paying attention. Vote Solar's executive director, Sachu Constantine, returns to the Factor This! podcast to break down the latest proposal, which is drawing fire from both sides. Check out Constantine's analysis of the original NEM 3.0 proposal in Episode 6 of the Factor This! podcast.Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.Registration is now open for the GridTECH Connect Forum, a new event bringing together distributed energy developers and utilities to tackle the critical issue of interconnection. Join us in San Diego on Feb. 6, 2023 for an event focused on the California market, like interconnection collaboration, vehicle-to-grid integration, demand response, and more. Learn more at GridTECHConnect.com.

It is estimated that over 2.5 million homes are equipped with solar panels in the U.S. And the popularity of capturing the natural power of the sun to heat and cool our homes is on the rise – according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) solar panel installations have increased by 43% in just … Continue reading Sachu Constantine of Vote Solar → This article and podcast Sachu Constantine of Vote Solar appeared first on Sea Change Radio.

In Episode 6 of the Factor This! podcast, rooftop solar's biggest fight — California's net energy metering reform process — is back on. The California Public Utilities Commission has reopened the docket for NEM 3.0, which rooftop solar advocates warn could have a devastating impact on the industry nationwide.Vote Solar's new executive director, Sachu Constantine, takes Factor This! to the frontlines of the policy fight and shares how he plans to move one of the leading solar advocacy groups to its next chapter.Are you enjoying Factor This? Please leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts. Show notes and an episode transcript are available here. Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Melanie Santiago-Mosier is an award-winning energy expert and thought leader, implementing a vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in and through clean energy.  She is the Deputy Director for Clean Energy Group & Clean Energy States Alliance, sister nonprofits who provide technical expertise and independent analysis in support of communities and government leaders working for an equitable clean energy transition.  Melanie ensures the organizations pursue their highest strategic goals while embedding principles of equity into all areas of work. Before joining CEG & CESA, she was the Managing Director for Access & Equity for Vote Solar, where she managed Vote Solar's work to build equitable partnerships with frontline communities; oversaw collaboration with those communities to design and advocate for programs that open up solar's opportunities and benefits; and supported the organization's internal work to grow as an organization that welcomes and supports people from all races, genders, backgrounds, and identities. She has advanced clean energy policy for over a decade, including leading the government affairs efforts for organizations such as the Maryland Public Service Commission and Washington Gas Energy Services, after serving as counsel and policy analyst for the MD General Assembly. She also served as a regional policy director for SunEdison. In 2015, Melanie was named one of Maryland's “Leading Women” by The Daily Record, MD's premier business and legal news publication. In 2019, she was awarded a WRISE Honor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by Women in Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy.  In 2020, she was named one of “MD's Top 100 Women” by The Daily Record.  Melanie is an attorney licensed to practice law in Maryland. She holds her JD from the University of MD School of Law and her BA from St. John's College.  She serves on a number of volunteer boards and is a volunteer mentor for law students.Quotables“We're all rowing in the same boat. We're going in the same direction. It's all about how do we best build out the clean energy system of the future and help different people get there.”     – Melanie Santiago-Mosier“We are rebuilding the way that we do energy in this country, in the world. We are also simultaneously rebuilding the way we do work and the way we do business and doing that from a more equitable perspective, from a more justice-oriented perspective.” – Amy Simpkins“Centering communities doesn't mean coming and giving handouts to communities. Centering communities means being in a listening posture first and foremost.” – Melanie Santiago-Mosier“Environmental racism is a real thing.” – Melanie Santiago-MosierResourcesMelanie recommends that you check out Vote Solar to find out how you can get involved in creating inclusive and expansive renewable energy policies.Check out the Initiative for Energy Justice for more information on important energy equity and energy justice principles. And you'll also want to spend some time with the Jemez Principles, which according to Melanie are "foundational for climate justice work!"Also mentioned: Emergent Strategy by adrienne marie brownThank you for listening. See you at the whiteboard!

Solar advocates are sounding the alarm on proposed changes to California's rooftop solar program. The changes would reduce the savings that solar customers enjoy, and potentially add a new monthly fee to connect to the grid. Regulators say reforms are necessary because non-solar customers are paying too much to maintain the grid, but solar supporters say the changes will discourage people from installing solar and make it difficult to meet California's green energy goals.Hi, I'm Kathy Fettke and this is Real Estate News for Investors. If you like our podcast, please subscribe and leave us a review.The California Public Utilities Commission released the proposal on Monday, December 13th. (1) There's a long list of changes that include a reduction in the discount consumers would get for installing a solar system. That would increase the amount of time it takes to recoup the cost of the system. The break even window would expand to about double what it is now or about ten years.New Fees, Reduced Sell-Back AmountsThe proposal also includes a monthly Grid Participation Charge of $8 per kilowatt of installed solar. If you have an 8 kW system, for example, you'd be paying an extra $64 a month to hook up to the grid. The fee would be imposed on solar customers so they could pay their “fair share of the cost of maintaining the grid.”New solar customers would also get paid a lower amount for any excess electricity they produce and sell back to the utilities. That wouldn't impact existing customers right away. They'd be able to continue with their existing rate structure for the first 15 years of their system. After that, they would transition from net metering to net billing which pays less for any excess energy produced.Net billing has been highly criticized as a disincentive for solar adoption because many consumers have relied on the money they get from producing excess electricity to help pay for their systems. Solar costs have come down but for many people, solar is still too expensive.Incentives for Residential Storage BatteriesRegulators are hoping the new rules will encourage the installation of residential storage batteries so that solar customers can keep the excess energy they produce, and use it during peak hours in the evening. Peak hours are between 6 and 9pm.If solar homes are getting a wholesale price for the excess energy they produce during the day, and are charged full price for energy they need during the evening, they end up paying the difference. If they install a storage battery, there's no extra cost. Regulators say much of this proposal is to address the strain on the grid during those peak hours, after the sun goes down.Long List of ChangesThere are several other items that the CPUC is proposing that include an Equity Fund to help provide community solar in low-income and disadvantaged communities, new rules that would allow oversized residential solar systems to accommodate future needs for vehicle and appliance charging and electrification, and a change in the way that solar customers are billed from yearly to monthly, possibly because of that proposed monthly grid participation fee.The state's three main utilities support the proposed changes. Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison, along with the CPUC, say the savings that solar customers are currently getting are so big that they are not paying their fair share of the grid's operating costs. The solar industry and advocates say the changes will make it difficult for California to reach a goal for zero-carbon emissions by 2045.Will This Hamper Clean Energy Goals?Susannah Churchill for Vote Solar told the Associated Press that the proposal will “move us backward on clean energy and block many Californians' ability to help make our grid more resilient to climate change.” (2) The rooftop solar program was launched in 1995 to encourage more people to “go solar.” According to the solar industry, 1.3 million California homes now have solar. That's more than any other state in the U.S. Plus, a California law enacted last year, requires that all new homes have solar.The CPUC changes would be phased in over four years for new customers, but if they take advantage of a $3,200 discount on a residential storage system, they'd transition into the new rate structure right away, which pays less for the excess energy that's produced. But they'd get that big discount on an energy storage system.CPUC Commissioner Guzman Aceves says this proposal is all about distributing the cost of maintaining the grid in a way that doesn't unfairly impact non-solar customers, and transitioning to a solar system that uses the sun to produce electricity during the day, to one that can also produce electricity after the sun goes down. That can be done if more people install storage batteries.The CPUC is taking public comment on this proposal and could vote on it by the end next month. If it's approved, the new policy would take effect four months after a final decision.If you'd like to read more about this topic and how you can submit comments to the CPUC, you'll find links in the show notes at newsforinvestors.com.You can also join RealWealth, for free. As a member, you have access to the Investor Portal where you can view sample property pro-formas and connect with our network of resources. That includes experienced investment counselors, property teams, lenders, 1031 exchange facilitators, attorneys, CPAs and more.And please remember to hit the subscribe button, and leave a review!Thanks for listening. I'm Kathy Fettke.Links:1 -https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-proposal-aims-to-modernize-state-decarbonization-incentive-efforts2 -https://apnews.com/article/science-business-environment-and-nature-california-utilities-1bc5070157e0fb4f0c216f8b1dd1daee

California proposes removing some of the financial incentives to install rooftop solar and the Morning Show with Nikki Medoro speaks with Vote Solar's Susannah Churchill about why those incentives need to remain in place. Is the incentive to battle climate change enough incentive to get solar panels? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

California proposes removing some of the financial incentives to install rooftop solar and the Morning Show with Nikki Medoro speaks with Vote Solar's Susannah Churchill about why those incentives need to remain in place. Is the incentive to battle climate change enough incentive to get solar panels? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a strong coalition engages energy stakeholders and works tirelessly to chart an equitable renewable energy future in Illinois? We spoke with John Delurey, Senior Regional Director for Vote Solar, to find out.

Stepping down after 20 years at the helm of one of the scrappiest and most successful solar advocacy organizations in the country, Adam Browning shares some lessons learned and insights on where to go next. Get full access to Volts at www.volts.wtf/subscribe

This week on Experts Only podcast, host Jon Powers welcomes back Vote Solar CEO Adam Browning for an important discussion including their predictions for the upcoming year with the incoming Biden-Harris Administration and how we can work toward clean energy access for all. Also, hear how you can be more engaged with Vote Solar to help push solar energy policies forward at the state level.

This week on Experts Only podcast, host Jon Powers welcomes back Vote Solar CEO Adam Browning for an important discussion including their predictions for the upcoming year with the incoming Biden-Harris Administration and how we can work toward clean energy access for all. Also, hear how you can be more engaged with Vote Solar to help push solar energy policies forward at the state level.

This week on Experts Only podcast, host Jon Powers welcomes back Vote Solar CEO Adam Browning for an important discussion including their predictions for the upcoming year with the incoming Biden-Harris Administration and how we can work toward clean energy access for all. Also, hear how you can be more engaged with Vote Solar to help push solar energy policies forward at the state level.

With storytelling that stretches across his time living in Guinea-Bissau with the Peace Corps to founding one of the most influential advocacy organizations in the U.S., this podcast featuring Adam Browning of Vote Solar is a great way to wind-up 2020. Adam delivers expert insights into the role of activism in policy change and the importance of staying open to opportunities that bring your values to life. Listen now to learn why 2021 will be the best year yet for the global renewable energy sector.

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and Vote Solar's Thad Culley discuss a net metering settlement underway in the Carolinas: a compromise benefitting the utility, customer-generators, and the electric grid.… Read More

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and Vote Solar’s Thad Culley discuss a net metering settlement underway in the Carolinas: a compromise benefitting the utility, customer-generators, and the electric grid.… Read More

In today’s episode, we cover:What is Vote Solar and its mission?How Adam found himself at Vote Solar and in climate.The origins of Vote Solar.How the passage of Prop B was a watershed moment in the solar movement in California.Factors driving down the cost of solar energy.The organization’s early mission of making solar cheap.The task of disintermediating the decision-makers to saying ‘yes’ to solar.The history and progress of clean energy compliance and regulations.Vote Solar’s definition of success.Adam’s thoughts on the intermittency problem associated with solar energy.Adam’s views on sustainability challenges with solar panels.How most energy regulation is set at the state-level.Wins Vote Solar has had.Adam’s belief in the need for a Federal clean energy standard.Links to topics discussed in this episode:Vote Solar: https://votesolar.org/Power for All: https://www.powerforall.org/Prop B: https://www.sfgate.com/green/article/S-F-could-be-leader-on-solar-energy-Props-B-2864444.phpBifacial solar panels: https://solarmagazine.com/solar-panels/bifacial-solar-panels/

By Chris Nichols If Your Time Is Short: Opponents of Proposition 15 claimed it would “impose massive property tax increases” on solar in California if voters approve it in November.   The solar industry and independent tax experts say that’s wrong. That’s because a new state law protects commercial solar projects from property tax increases through 2024 should the measure win.  Residential solar is already exempt. While the solar industry and tax experts believe the state law is legally sound, the California Assessors’ Association disagrees. Would California’s Proposition 15 really impose “massive property tax increases” on solar projects and drive up electricity costs?  Tax and solar industry experts don’t think so.  But those are the allegations made by the No on Prop 15 campaign in radio and social media ads, which ask voters to reject the measure this November.  “Prop 15 will impose massive property tax increases on California’s solar power facilities, meaning Prop 15 will drive up the cost of electricity for consumers like us,” a narrator said in the radio spot that aired on KFBK in Sacramento in mid-September.  The campaign’s Facebook ad made a nearly identical claim: “Prop 15 will impose massive property tax increases on Solar in California.” It was flagged as part of the social media platform’s effort to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about PolitiFact California’s partnership with Facebook.) The Yes on 15 campaign also disputes the claims. Given the importance of solar energy in California and the fast-approaching election, we decided to shine a light on the facts.  Background On Proposition 15 If approved, Proposition 15 would be a major change to California’s historic property tax law Proposition 13, which voters passed in 1978.  Specifically, the new measure would require commercial and industrial real estate worth more than $3 million to pay property tax based on current market value. Right now, owners pay a much lower tax based on the original purchase price.  Residential properties would be exempt from the changes.  The measure would generate billions of dollars per year to fund public schools, community colleges and local governments statewide. How Would Proposition 15 Affect Solar?  Tax and solar industry experts said there was some initial concern that Proposition 15 could affect an existing tax exclusion for commercial solar projects. They said those worries faded this summer. Here’s how that exclusion works: Land under solar developments is still taxed, but the value of the solar arrays doesn’t add to the taxable value. California voters approved that benefit by passing Proposition 7 in 1980 to help ensure the growth of the solar industry.  The Legislature has extended that benefit several times, most recently through 2024, but industry officials worried Proposition 15 might end it much earlier.  So at the urging of the solar industry, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 364 at the end of August and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it early this month. The law specifically ensures commercial solar projects retain this exclusion through 2024 whether or not Proposition 15 passes.  Solar industry and tax experts say the new law protects solar projects, despite concerns raised by the California Assessors’ Association that the law is unconstitutional.  A ‘Completely Misleading And Incorrect Allegation’  Ed Smeloff works with the Vote Solar Action Fund, which is the political arm of Vote Solar, a group that works to expand access to solar nationwide and pushed for SB 364.  He described the claim that Proposition 15 would impose “massive tax increases” on solar in California as a “completely misleading and incorrect allegation.”  “The No on Proposition 15 campaign is completely deceptive in its statements about solar power,” Smelnoff said. “There is nothing in Proposition 15, when it's combined with state legislation, that would undermine the future development of solar power.” Rick Umoff, California senior director and counsel at the Solar Energy Industries Association, or SEIA, added in a written statement that SB 364 had “remedied” his group’s early concern over Proposition 15 “by preserving the current tax treatment for solar projects.”   SEIA is a national trade association of more than 1,000 member companies and partners, according to its website.   An Unconstitutional Law?  In a letter on Sept. 9, Don Gaekle, president of the California Assessors’ Association urged Newsom to veto SB 364, saying the Legislature had overstepped its authority. He added that the bill was “contrary to the California Constitution and sets a bad precedent for future erosions of the property tax base through legislative actions not envisioned by the Constitution.”    Specifically, Gaekle pointed to the law’s reclassification of commercial solar projects from real property to personal property to avoid any possible property tax hike under Proposition 15. He said only voters can approve such an exclusion.  San Luis Obispo County Assessor Tom Bordonaro said if Proposition 15 passes, he would be presented with conflicting messages on whether to reassess commercial solar projects. He said he believes he would eventually “be forced to reassess” them. “The courts are going to have to sort it out,” added Bordonaro, a former state senator and past president of CAA.  Michael Bustamante, a spokesperson for the No on 15 campaign, pointed to the CAA arguments to justify the campaign’s claims about “massive property taxes” on solar, but he declined to say whether the campaign would sue to overturn the new state law.  In August, Matt Klink, another spokesperson for the No on 15 campaign, told Capital & Main that SB 364 “won’t provide relief to the clean energy sector, and it will be immediately challenged in court and overturned. The only way to truly protect the solar industry is by defeating Prop. 15 in November.” The campaign aired and published its ads nearly a week after Newsom signed the new law and nearly a month after the Legislature passed the bill.   Asked about the CAA’s legal concerns, Umoff of the solar trade association, added in a statement: “We are aware of their arguments and disagree. Senate Bill 364 is constitutional.” Tax Experts Weigh In Darien Shanske, a UC Davis law professor who specializes in taxation, wrote in an email that the No on Prop 15 claims about a massive tax hike on solar are “misleading.” He added that the argument that SB 364 is unconstitutional “is not a trivial argument as it turns out, but I would characterize (that argument) as more likely than not to fail.” Shanske added that the campaign ads give the impression that even residential solar projects could be subject to tax increases. “That is clearly not permitted by Prop 15,” he wrote. He added that perhaps there’s an argument to be made that starting in 2025 solar projects would pay more after the state’s commercial solar property tax exemption ends. But, as others including Smelnoff noted, that exemption was going to end in 2024 regardless of Proposition 15.  “Though puffery is allowed in politics, the idea that the increase would be ‘massive’ and ultimately much affect the costs of the average consumer strikes me as quite far-fetched,” Shanske wrote.   Kirk Stark, a professor of tax law and policy at UCLA, added in email that it’s simply “not accurate” to say Proposition 15 will lead to a “massive property tax increase” for solar in California.  Last month, Stark told Capital & Main that he’s skeptical that SB 364 would be ruled unconstitutional. “Prop. 15 itself authorizes the legislature to decide how to implement it,” he said, “and it’s certainly possible that courts would defer to lawmakers on what is and is not subject” to the proposed law. Response From Yes On 15 Campaign Asked about their opponents’ claims, a spokesperson for the Yes On 15 campaign said “these false ads should be taken down immediately." "The corporate-backed opponents of Prop. 15 will say whatever it takes to keep their tax loopholes, but this is crossing the line,” Alex Stack said in a written statement. “Not only are they blatantly lying to voters just weeks before ballots drop, but they are trying to take advantage of Californians' financial struggles at a time when so many are hurting financially right now.” Our Ruling Opponents of Prop. 15 claimed the measure “will impose massive property tax increases on Solar in California.”  But the solar industry and tax experts reject that idea. That’s because California approved SB 364 this summer, protecting commercial solar projects from a property tax increase through 2024 should the measure win. A property tax exclusion unrelated to Proposition 15 is set to expire in January 2025.  Not everyone agrees the new state law is on solid legal ground. The California Assessors’ Association says it is unconstitutional. And the No on Proposition 15 campaign says a court could overturn it.  Still, two independent tax experts and solar officials reviewed those legal concerns and determined it’s unlikely a court would throw out the new law. In the end, we found the claims by the No on Prop. 15 campaign are misleading and unfounded.  We rate them False. FALSE – The statement is not accurate. Click here for more on the six PolitiFact ratings and how we select facts to check. Email us at politifactca@capradio.org with feedback or contact us on Twitter or Facebook. Source List No on Prop 15, Facebook ad and radio ad, accessed September 2020 California Senate Bill 364, accessed September 2020 Ed Smeloff, senior director, Vote Solar Action Fund, video interview Sept. 24, 2020 Darien Shanske, UC Davis tax law professor, email exchange, Sept. 23, 2020 Kirk Stark, UCLA tax law professor, video interview Sept. 22, 2020 Tom Bordonaro, San Luis Obispo County assessor and past president of the California Assessors’ Association, video interview Sept. 24, 2020 Michale Bustamante, No on 15 spokesperson, phone interview, Sept. 24, 2020 Alex Stack, Yes on 15 spokesperson, phone interview, Sept. 23, 2020 Don Gaekle, president, California Assessors’ Association, SB 364 veto request letter, Sept. 9, 2020 and AB 105 Oppose letter, June 25, 2020 Rick Umoff, California senior director and counsel, Solar Energy Industries Association, written statements Sept. 23 and 24, 2020 and SB 364 support letter, June 23, 2020 Ballotopedia, California Proposition 7, accessed September 2020 CapRadio, California’s Proposition 15 Would Raise Taxes On Businesses While Supporting Schools, Local Governments, Sept. 15, 2020 Capital & Main, California’s Proposition 15 Has Nothing to Do With Clean Energy, Aug. 13, 2020

Third time is a charm! If you weren't able to join the first ever virtual Hawaii Energy Conference this year, and you missed the SolarCoaster's coverage last week on air in Maui, now you have your chance to listen at your leisure via podcast! https://hawaiienergyconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/HEC-Virtual-Program-2020.pdf Along with our usual news and events we covered the keynote by CEO Hawaiian Electric Scot Seu as well as a panel on Solar Jobs – "Being Part of the Solution?" The Executive Director of the Hawaii Solar Energy Association lead a discussion of how jobs in solar and other parts of the “clean“ energy sector can contribute to a Just Recovery. Moderated by: Will Giese, Executive Director, Hawaii Solar Energy Association Joining: Scott Glenn, Chief Energy Officer, Hawaii State Energy Office Dawn Lippert, CEO, Elemental Excelerator Odette Mucha, Regulatory Director, Southeast, Vote Solar

This week, we’re talking about the big news on rooftop solar with Shelley Robbins with Upstate Forever and Thad Culley with Vote Solar. Public Concern is the weekly podcast from the South Carolina Conservation Coalition. The name of our podcast comes from Article 12 of the South Carolina Constitution, which is all about the functions of government: “The health, welfare, and safety of the lives and property of the people of this State...and the conservation of its natural resources are matters of public concern.” Subscribe, and send any questions you'd like for us to discuss at publicconcernpodcast@gmail.com. You can find out more at publicconcernpodcast.org.Upstate Forever Vote SolarJohn Lewis and his environmental legacyMusic:Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flowLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We are pleased to release the second part of the Opening Session of our SunCast Clean Energy Summit, which started on April 22nd as a way to grow our community and skills, as well as celebrate #EarthDayTogether. Adam Browning leads Vote Solar's team of advocates, experts and staff working to bring solar to the mainstream across the U.S. Adam co-founded the organization in 2002 after he had so much fun working on a successful local solar ballot initiative that he decided to pursue solar advocacy full-time. We talked about how our industry is becoming the number 1 new generation source of power, the projections on having the dominant market share by 2040-2050 and how our industry organizations support this. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect with the host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

We are pleased to release the second part of the Opening Session of our SunCast Clean Energy Summit, which started on April 22nd as a way to grow our community and skills, as well as celebrate #EarthDayTogether. Adam Browning leads Vote Solar's team of advocates, experts and staff working to bring solar to the mainstream across the U.S. Adam co-founded the organization in 2002 after he had so much fun working on a successful local solar ballot initiative that he decided to pursue solar advocacy full-time. We talked about how our industry is becoming the number 1 new generation source of power, the projections on having the dominant market share by 2040-2050 and how our industry organizations support this. Gain access to all the show notes & resources from this episode here You can connect with the host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email Thanks a ton to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content FREE to You! Please check them out and let me know what you think!

Call to Action:Learn more about Vote Solar: https://votesolar.org/about-us/Learn more about their mission: https://votesolar.org/about-us/mission/ 

205: Adam Browning of Vote Solar Today’s Entrepreneur knows all about the power of voting with your feet!  Since 2002, Vote Solar has been working to make solar affordable and accessible to more Americans, supporting the policies and programs needed to repower our grid with clean energy. Adam Browning and Vote Solar have served a critical role in the rollout of successful state solar policies nationwide. When Adam sat down with me at the Podcast Lounge in Salt Lake City this past September, I wanted to dig into the origin story, and Adam gave me much more. Today you’ll learn the 4 pillars of policy success Vote Solar stands on, the 5 focus areas they’re leaning into, hardest won battles (and States), Adam’s Theory of Change model and his 2050 prediction. If you love this episode, let me know on Twitter, LinkedIn or email! And Let Adam know too! Twitter I hope you’ll take advantage of my current Coaching and SunCast Guild offers - have you checked them out?  Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest & recommendations on the SunCast Blog.  Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You! IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help: Energetic Insurance and Extensible Energy Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

205: Adam Browning of Vote Solar Today’s Entrepreneur knows all about the power of voting with your feet!  Since 2002, Vote Solar has been working to make solar affordable and accessible to more Americans, supporting the policies and programs needed to repower our grid with clean energy. Adam Browning and Vote Solar have served a critical role in the rollout of successful state solar policies nationwide. When Adam sat down with me at the Podcast Lounge in Salt Lake City this past September, I wanted to dig into the origin story, and Adam gave me much more. Today you’ll learn the 4 pillars of policy success Vote Solar stands on, the 5 focus areas they’re leaning into, hardest won battles (and States), Adam’s Theory of Change model and his 2050 prediction. If you love this episode, let me know on Twitter, LinkedIn or email! And Let Adam know too! Twitter I hope you’ll take advantage of my current Coaching and SunCast Guild offers - have you checked them out?  Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest & recommendations on the SunCast Blog.  Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You! IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help: Energetic Insurance and Extensible Energy Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

In this very special live episode of Experts Only, Jon Powers of CleanCapital hosts a panel of guests at the Solar Power International convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Guests include: Bill Bush | CFO, STEM Bill drives project financing efforts and corporate funding initiatives at Stem, which builds and operates the largest digitally connected energy storage network. Adam Browning | Executive Director, Vote Solar Vote Solar’s mission is to make solar a mainstream energy resource across the U.S. Adam co-founded the organization in 2002 and leads Vote Solar's team of advocates, experts and staff working to bring solar to the mainstream across the U.S. Emily Fritze | Director of Strategy & Business Development, Powerhouse Emily manages strategic partnerships, programming, and business development at Powerhouse, a network-driven venture fund that backs entrepreneurs building the future of energy and mobility. Jon and the panel discuss some of the exciting milestones the clean energy industry reached in 2019 and what's on the horizon in 2020. Appreciation to Nico Johnson of Suncast for hosting us at the North America Smart Energy Week Podcast Lounge.

In this episode, we're taking a deep dive on South Carolina's recently signed Energy Freedom Act, which will expand clean energy markets in the state. We'll be talking in-depth with Thad Culley of Vote Solar, and he'll explain what this means for the southeast now and in the future. As always, this episode comes fully stocked with a Policy Update. Episode 10 is sponsored by Fifth Third Bank.

Copyright 2019 - The Energy Show, Barry Cinnamon The United States is a representative democracy. Citizens vote for politicians who, theoretically, advocate for their needs: things like better healthcare, lower taxes, cleaner air, and new technologies such as solar. But one cannot check off the “solar” box on a voting ballot. Instead, we have to vote for elected officials whom we trust will work on solar policy on our behalf. Vote Solar was founded in 2002 by Adam Browning and David Hochschild to bring solar into the mainstream by helping to shape solar policy. Among the policy wins that Vote Solar has achieved includes incentives (tax credits and rebates), modernizing our electric grid, expanding access to solar and storage technologies across all economic sectors, and advocating for solar + storage friendly electric rates. Polls across the U.S. show that solar and renewable energy rate 90% and higher in the minds of voters . The challenge is turning that latent voting power into actual political power. Please Listen Up to this week's Energy Show as Adam Browning, Vote Solar's Executive Director, explains how their advocacy efforts have achieved so many solar wins to date — along with the hard work we all have ahead of us as we make solar a mainstream energy source throughout the U.S.

Taped at SolarWakeup Live! Boston, I speak with Nathan Phelps from Vote Solar about the needs for regulations to keep up with solar's growth. Check out solargraf.com/solarwakeup to trial the exciting solar sales accelerator. The online platform allows for fast and simple design of solar projects and proposals. Solargraf.com/solarwakeup for your free offer. Thank you to the sponsors that made the event happen: Engie Storage, CleanChoice Energy and Pfister Energy.

It has been a little over two months since the November 2018 midterm elections and the 116th United States Congress has commenced – with new members in both the Senate and House and a new majority in the House. Across the States and U.S. Territories, there are 20+ new Governors taking office, which means new cabinet appointments and new policy priorities. In addition, numerous new state legislators are taking office and state legislative sessions are getting underway. On today’s episode of Grid Geeks, I talk with three federal and state policy experts about the impacts of the 2018 elections on clean energy policy and what’s on the horizon in 2019. Guests: Steve Koerner, Founder and Principal at Policy Strategy & Insight; Jessica Scott, Senior Director, Interior West for Vote Solar; and, Brad Klein, Senior Attorney with the Environmental Law & Policy Center.

This week we sit down with Adam Browning, Executive Director of Vote Solar. We explore Vote Solar’s unique role in the marketplace. This conversation is especially timely given the political climate surrounding renewables at the federal level, pending tax reform, and the tariff case before the International Trade Commission.

Susan Glickman Florida Director, SACE Action Fund Susan has worked with Southern Alliance for Clean Energy since 2001 as a consultant and lobbyist and was named Florida Director in August 2013. Susan has a background in running political campaigns and also directs SACE’s Action Fund in the Sunshine State. A native of Florida, Susan has consulted with many national organizations such as Natural Resources Defense Council, Ceres, Advanced Energy Economy, Union of Concerned Scientists, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Vote Solar, Clean Energy Group, Environmental Defense Fund and Clean Air Task Force. She developed and directed The Florida Business Network for a Clean Energy Economy, a coalition of business leaders working together to advance the clean energy economy. Prior to energy and climate issues, Susan worked to grant the FDA authority to regulate tobacco with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; to institute a nation-wide health tracking system with Trust for America’s Health and for the first time to fund prostate cancer research with the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. Susan was recently appointed by Governor Rick Scott to the Florida Commission on Volunteer Service. She was Founding Chair of The Florida Commission on the Status of Women. Susan grew up in Tampa, attending St. John’s Episcopal Day School and Academy of the Holy Names. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Speech from the University of Texas at Austin and an A.A. from Florida State University. Susan resides in Belleair Beach on Florida’s central Gulf coast.

We celebrated a milestone recently. Over one million homeowners have solar. It took 62 years, from 1954 to 2016, to get to this point. Now there are over 200,000 people working in the solar industry -- more than in the oil and gas extraction industries. Let's think about that point. There are more people developing, selling and installing solar energy power plants -- that run almost maintenance-free for 25 years -- than there are people who drill for polluting oil and gas. Two factors helped us get to this level of market penetration. The first factor is that there are hundreds of hard working, committed (some would say crazy) people worked for many years to pass solar friendly laws, and fight hostile fossil fuel companies and utilities. Hats off to SEIA, state chapters like CALSEIA, and other advocacy groups such as Vote Solar and NRDC. The second factor -- arguably even more important in the years ahead -- is economics. Solar is the least expensive source of electricity. Whether you are a homeowner or a utility, it's cheaper to generate electricity from solar panels than coal, nuclear or even natural gas. Because of these economic factors, the coal industry is declining, nuclear plants are being cancelled, and more utilities are installing large solar installations than new natural gas plants. Homeowners are taking advantage of the favorable economics of rooftop solar, too. Inexpensive solar panels and more efficient installation methods have brought the price of a home system down from $200k to less than $15k. In many locations around the country, low solar costs and high electricity costs provide homeowners with a 4-8 year payback. In finance terms, that's a Return on Investment of 12.5 to 25%, after tax. Please Listen Up to the Energy Show on Renewable Energy World as we talk about the choices homeowners can make to maximize their savings with rooftop solar.

Over the past few months you may have seen or heard a continuous stream of ads warning about the imminent demise of the solar Investment Tax Credit and California's Net Metering program. Good news for 2016: both of these programs have been extended. The incentive panic is over (for now). The solar industry – as well as homeowners and business owners – can concentrate on a steady transition to clean rooftop solar power. As a result of the hard work at solar advocacy groups SEIA, Vote Solar and CALSEIA, the ITC is good through 2021 (30% in 2016-2019, then 26% in 2020 and 22% in 2021). And unlike their brethren in Nevada and Hawaii, the California Public Utilities Commission has made a preliminary decision to extend retail net metering, albeit at a slightly reduced rate. But there is still real urgency to go solar: the sooner your installation is complete and you flip that switch to “on,” the sooner you'll reduce your electric bill. Granted, installation costs are likely to be a little lower in future years, but electric rates keep going up and the “cost of doing nothing” will only grow as you pay your monthly electric bill. Many states still have rebate programs and caps on net metering – so check with your local installer to find out the status of incentives for your home or business. For more about the extension of the ITC and local net metering programs, please Listen Up to the Energy Show on Renewable Energy World.

There are a lot of stories on residential rooftop solar but few if any on what cities are doing to make themselves energy self-reliant by using their own buildings and lands to generate power. In Public Rooftop Revolution, ILSR estimates that mid-sized cities could install as much as 5,000 megawatts of solar—as much as one-quarter of all solar installed in the U.S. to date—on municipal property, with little to no upfront cash. It would allow cities to redirect millions in saved energy costs to other public purposes. This report is being released in serial format, beginning Monday, June 1 through Thursday, June 4. CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR UPDATES. Read the Executive Summary Read Part 1 of the report Read Part 2 of the report Read Part 3 of the report Listen to our podcast conversations with a few of our Featured Five municipal solar cities: Lancaster, CA city manager Jason Caudle, listen to the podcast, read the interview summary. Raleigh, NC renewable energy coordinator Robert Hinson, listen to the podcast, read the interview summary. Spillover Effects of Municipal Solar Municipal solar installations serve a purpose beyond city energy savings. Their presence on city buildings supports solar development in the private sector in several ways: Copycat: The visibility of solar on public buildings can inspire individual residents or businesses to invest in solar. Market experience: Public building installations also provide valuable installation experience to local solar companies, driving down costs. Internal experience: The installation of solar arrays on public buildings provides valuable experience to affected city staff such as building, electrical, and fire code officials who regulate the private solar market.  Local policy: The city's interest in solar can lead to more favorable rules and regulations for private solar installations, reducing permitting and licensing requirements. Denver, CO, is given a “Best” score by Vote Solar, and has among the easiest and lowest cost permitting rules in Colorado. Lancaster, CA, is given a “Good” score from Vote Solar, with many streamlined processes. New Bedford, MA, has below average permitting fees compared to other Massachusetts municipalities. Kansas City shortened permit waiting times to 8 hours or less, provided online permitting, and lowered inspection times to eight hours or less. State policy: A municipal solar project may also help change state policy. In Dubuque, IA, a proposed solar installation using a power purchase agreement sparked a legal battle when the utility objected. The Iowa Supreme Court ultimately determined that power purchase agreements were legal, and the ruling has generated substantially more interest in public sector solar installations. Solar on public buildings can also serve as a starting point for municipal interest in deeper clean energy opportunities, beyond solar. Municipal electric vehicles could charge from municipal solar arrays, for example, as they do in Lansing, MI. City buildings with solar could also incorporate storage, making them safe severe weather shelters. Florida's SunSmart Schools and Emergency Shelters Program has installed 115 10-kW PV systems with electricity storage at Florida's schools to create emergency shelters. Rutland, VT, is building a microgrid with solar plus battery storage to power the public shelter during severe weather emergencies. New York City is interested in installing 800 megawatts of distributed generation,

We talk to Hannah Masterjohn, Community Solar Advocate for Vote Solar, a San Francisco-based solar advocacy group.