Solar Citizen, June 19, 2014

By Bill Spratley, Green Energy Ohio Executive Director

What’s the Future of Ohio Clean Energy?

Ohio’s clean energy community suffered a double whammy when Ohio’s legislature and governor approved two bills in recent weeks.

SB 310 stops the next two years of the Ohio renewable portfolio standard, including a solar carve-out, with the possibility it will be resumed after a legislative study committee reviews costs and benefits.

HB 483 changes the property setbacks for twelve more Ohio wind farms. This affects more than $2 billion investment already approved for construction, probably forcing some wind companies to stop their projects.

The Ohio ASES Chapter Green Energy Ohio (GEO) is holding meetings around the state to discuss how citizens and the clean energy community will advance renewable energy and energy efficiency as the new laws take effect.

GEO also plans educational efforts on its large statewide tour as part of the ASES National Solar Tour on October 3,4 and 5, 2014.

Join Green Energy Ohio to hear from Mark R. Shanahan, Principal, New Morning Energy LLC to discuss the new policy direction for the State of Ohio after enactment of Senate Bill 310, as Ohio becomes the only state to halt its renewable portfolio standard (RPS) of 30 states with similar laws. Mark provides strategic advice on energy policy and clean energy technology deployment through New Morning Energy LLC. He served as Governor Strickland’s Energy Advisor. GEO’s Executive Director Bill Spratley will also present a summary of coming activities in Northeast Ohio, including the 5-Day Solar Electric PV Certification Training near Cleveland, July 21-15 and August 4-8 near Cincinnati. GEO is also looking for volunteers for the GEO exhibit at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus on July 23-August 4 and planning the GEO Fall Tour on October 3,4 & 5. More

California

Community Choice Aggregations Under Attack

California’s Senate Energy Committee hears AB 2145 on June 23. Please call or email committee chair Alex Padilla this week. Urge him to reject this bad bill.

Chair Alex Padilla, @SenAlexPadilla,

AB 2145 threatens all CA Community Choice clean energy programs. The large corporate utilities (PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E) are once again attempting to crush competition.

If enacted, AB 2145 will:

* Limit consumer choice
* Reduce competition
* Thwart California’s environmental goals
* Infringe on local government decision-making power
* Diminish local communities’ ability to create local clean energy jobs
* Destroy the future of Community Choice energy in California.

AB 2145 will change the rules to make it impossible to establish viable Community Choice energy programs, thus cementing the utility monopolies. Community Choice energy is one of the most powerful solutions available to local governments to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. AB 2145 represents a backward step for California’s leadership. Please don’t let utilities stamp it out.

You can help kill this bill! Make your voice heard by calling and writing your State Senator. For more information on the bill and how to help, click here.

  

Net Metering On the Line

By Carly Rixham

ASES Executive Director

Net metering, the policy that gives credit to solar-equipped homeowners for the clean power they contribute to the grid, is at risk in many states. Utility companies are pushing back hard to restrict net metering. They like large solar farms, because they sell that power. But utilities view rooftop solar as a threat to their bottom line, and want to remove incentives that help individuals to provide clean energy.

Right now, utilities have asked for anti-net metering actions in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Many states are currently in a public comment periods as corporate lobbyists push legislatures and utility commissioners to decide in favor of utility power mongers. More

American Solar Energy Society Annual Awards

These awards will be presented at the annual awards reception during SOLAR 2014 in San Francisco, July 8.

The Charles Greeley Abbot Award, named in honor of the prominent researcher in solar energy, is presented to a person who has made a significant contribution to the American Solar Energy Society or to the field of solar energy. The 2014 Charles Greeley Abbot Award is presented to Scott Sklar for his longstanding leadership in the promotion of solar energy, renewable energy and sustainability to the nation.

The Women in Solar Energy Award honors a woman who has contributed significantly to the acceptance and advancement of women in solar through advocacy, politics, education, social change, business, or technical achievement. The 2014 Women in Solar Energy Award is presented to Barbara Harwood-Aitken for her advocacy and work to encourage the inclusion of energy efficiency, passive design and safe materials to the design and construction of housing, including low-cost housing for the poor.

The Rebecca Vories Award honors the Society’s most tireless and valuable volunteers. The award is presented to those whose volunteer efforts on behalf of the American Solar Energy Society have significantly advanced the Society’s ability to meet its mission. The 2014 Rebecca Vories Award is presented to Mr. Mario Monesterio for his longstanding involvement and support of the Society’s annual solar conference.

The John and Barbara Yellott Award, named for a couple who helped found the American Solar Energy Society, is given to a deserving graduate student concentrating on solar energy at a recognized institution of higher learning. The 2014 John and Barbara Yellott Award is presented to Rachana Vidhi for her work on supercritical Rankine cycles for low temperature power generation.

The Passive Pioneer Award honors those in the passive solar energy field who provided the theories, early research efforts, new concepts, and opportunities for later researchers to follow and to improve upon. The award is presented to a deserving innovator who was involved in the early stages of passive theory, design, application, or technology. The 2014 Passive Pioneer Award is presented to Donald Watson for his early recognition and application of passive solar design concepts.

The ASES Fellows designation recognizes longtime ASES members who have provided exceptional service to the Society. This year, the Board of Directors has designated five persons to be inducted as Fellows of the American Solar Energy Society. The new Fellows are:

Scotte Elliott, a key player in the central Ohio solar community for two decades. He is a long-time active member of Green Energy Ohio (an ASES chapter), including 10 years of involvement with GEO’s solar tours; consulted to the Solar Decathlon team at Ohio State University; co-founded the OSU student chapter of ASES. Won GEO’s Pioneer of the Year Award, 2004, and GEO Volunteer of the Year Award, 2007. He has also served as the Chair of the ASES Sustainable Transportation Division.

Christian Gueymard developed the Simple Model of the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer of Sunshine (SMARTS) for assessing solar radiation – it’s one of the solar community’s best-known prediction tools around the world and is the de facto standard in the PV and CPV worlds.

Gina Johnson served as the Editor and frequent contributor to the multiple award winning magazine, Solar Today. Under Gina’s leadership, SOLAR TODAY magazine became a vigorous voice for outreach by and for the renewable energy community. She made an indelible mark in that community and was an important driver of its outreach campaigns. Gina has supported the ASES mission with her passion and drive.

David Panich has held leadership roles with ASES and/or its chapters since the early 1980s, including serving on the local organizing committee of the 9th National Passive Solar Conference (1984), Chair or Vice Chair of the ASES Sustainability Technical Division 2007-2013, Chair of the ASES Solar Buildings Division 2011-2014, and Technical Review Committee of several ASES national conferences, and he currently serves as the ASES Chair.

Claudia Wentworth is a model solar business leader and philanthropist who walks her talk on sustainability at her company, Quick Mount PV, where she encourages waste reduction, composting, organic gardening, and alternative transportation; is an avid supporter of ASES and its mission; served beyond the call of duty as Board Member and President of an ASES chapter, NorCal Solar, and served on the ASES board and ASES Awards Committee.

 

ASES Sixtieth Anniversary Membership Discount Offer

Our birthday gift to you: Save money on your membership or renewal

To celebrate our 60th anniversary, the American Solar Energy Society today launches its 2014 drive for new membership. Our goal: double ASES membership by this time next year.

To kick off the campaign, ASES is pleased to offer one month of discounts on new memberships and membership renewals, as our gift to members and ASES newsletter subscribers.

This is an opportunity to save money on

  • New memberships for colleagues and friends
  • An upgrade to Professional, Business or Life membership
  • Your membership renewal (if your membership will expire before the end of 2014)

Remember: Professional Members are entitled to a 25 percent discount on registration at SOLAR 2014, the 43rd National Solar Conference in San Francisco, July 6-10. Don’t delay: Join or upgrade now and save on Conference registration!

This offer ends July 10, 2014.

Just click here. Then choose your level of membership and enter the appropriate discount code:

  • Basic Membership (usually $39)
    This month $30, save 23 percent: discount code ASES60th-Basic
  • Professional Membership (usually $89)
    This month $60, save 32 percent: code ASES60th-Pro
  • Business Membership (usually $300)
    This month $240, save 20 percent: code ASES60th-Business
  • Life Membership (usually $1200)
    This month $900, save 25 percent: code ASES60th-Life

And – in the following states/regions you can save money by joining your local chapter at the same time you join ASES:

  • Northern California
  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Maine
  • Mid-Atlantic
  • Minnesota
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • Texas

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