Friends,
As a person who has established international business operations, served as an early executive at multiple technology startups, and founded a highly impactful nonprofit organization, I have tremendous appreciation for effective leadership. And in my observations, experience is the biggest correlating factor to effective leadership.
President Biden provides a prime example of this correlation. Before anyone discounts this assertion, let’s review some facts related to President Biden ascending to the Presidency amid an unparalleled myriad of existential crises while still being able to achieve some of the most impactful bipartisan policy outcomes in American history. Let's start with a partial list of the crises:
- The United States was under attack from an unprecedented insurrection and political enterprises attempting to overturn legally-confirmed election outcomes. Despite over 70 lawsuits aimed at overturning the 2020 Presidential election outcome, 100% of them were rejected by the courts -- including by numerous Trump-appointed judges.
- An array of massive climate disasters are increasingly on display, across the country and throughout the world.
- A global epidemic was ravaging global populations and causing millions of deaths.
- Women’s health and reproductive freedoms have been under relentless attack.
- A seriously damaged American economy had been hollowed by shortsighted offshoring of strategic industries and manufacturing capacities.
- Hostile regimes in Russia, China, and elsewhere were increasingly threatening American interests and overall rule-of-law and democratic principles.
- America’s international reputation had been battered by the malfeasance of the preceding administration, which is now on full display with Trump being the first criminal defendant ex-president with betting odds that he is more likely to reside in prison than ever stepping foot in the White House again.
Within that context, let's now look at a sampling of what the knowing calm derived from 50 years of national leadership experience has allowed President Biden to accomplish:
- Policy outcomes are re-establishing respect for American institutions and the nation's fundamental rule-of-law fabric -- and upholding democracy both domestically and internationally.
- Bipartisan legislation is reshoring manufacturing, including in the strategically critical semiconductor, renewable energy, energy storage, and electric vehicle sectors -- and this legislation will ensure that America continues to lead the world economically and militarily.
- The most important legislation to address climate change has been implemented and is yielding unparalleled results.
- The United States has been returned to a respected world leader, including in regards to upholding democracy and addressing climate change.
- Critical efforts have successfully tamed covid and similar efforts have been underway from the start to protect women's health and reproductive freedoms.
I salute President Biden whose experienced leadership is in stark contrast to the circus of tyrants, criminals, and clowns that try to hamper him at every step, and while I am grateful for his leadership at the national level, I beseech state and local leaders to take lessons from President Biden in taking the long view while deeply considering historical context.
In California, that requires Governor Newsom, the California legislature, and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) leaders to show courage in the face of powerful utility industry incumbents that want to heap massive costs on ratepayers associated with unnecessary transmission grid investments. The historical context is the Enron era that started with shortsighted legislation 25 years ago and led to market manipulations by mostly out-of-state players that led to hundreds of billions of dollars in avoidable costs heaped on California ratepayers -- costs that we are still incurring.
How do California's leaders need to act in order to preempt similar attacks on California's energy markets? First and foremost, transmission costs need to be made transparent and attempts to further harm local solar and other Distributed Energy Resources (DER) need to be thoroughly rejected. Here are a handful of key examples of such needed actions:
- The revised Community Solar program needs to actually support community solar — solar that is in the community on rooftops, parking lots, and parking structures; rather than in massive deployments consuming open space and requiring new and exorbitant transmission grid investments, which are the fastest growing component of electricity rates.
- The poorly considered but legislatively required Fixed Charges on residential ratepayers need to be minimized in order to avoid stealing value from local solar and other DER — and to avoid blinding customers into using electricity during the 4-9pm peak period, which is the biggest driver of more transmission investments that raise electricity rates for everyone; rich, poor, and everyone in between.
- Solar Microgrids and Community Microgrids need to be supported in every way possible, as these are unparalleled solutions for providing resilience to critical community facilities — and every other facility as well. Lahaina provides a clear example of what happens when a community is fully dependent on remote energy that requires transmission lines for delivery.
- Master Metering needs to be made legal again so that apartment complexes and other multi-unit housing facilities can deploy Solar Microgrids to achieve energy resilience — especially in the face of no functional alternative amidst the increasing frequency of grid outages.
- Utilities should be required to divest from transmission infrastructure in order to eliminate their overwhelming conflict of interests that currently possesses them to invest in transmission infrastructure over all other energy approaches. The fact that utilities make a 12% guaranteed return on 50-year transmission investments is an unmatchable investment opportunity that exists nowhere else on the planet and must be eliminated to ensure local solar and other DER are properly prioritized.
Although there is much more to say, I want to let you all get to the important content in the rest of this newsletter. So, without further adieu, please enjoy the Clean Coalition highlights below, and as always...
Power On!
Craig Lewis
Executive Director
Clean Coalition
Santa Barbara | Menlo Park
650-796-2353 mobile
craig@clean-coalition.org
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Town of Moraga moves forward with Solar Microgrids after favorable economic, environmental, and resilience feasibility study results |
In collaboration with the Town of Moraga, the Clean Coalition conducted an Energy Generation Study to optimize energy resilience and economics for four of the Town's critical community facilities. |
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Feasibility Study for EVSE & Solar Microgrids kicks off for thirty LA County Lifeguard Station sites |
In partnership with Los Angeles County, the Clean Coalition has studied the feasibility of installing EVSE, solar, and battery storage at thirty of their Lifeguard Station sites. |
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Santa Barbara Humane adds a Solar Microgrid into it's campus-wide redesign |
As part of the Santa Barbara Humane's redesign team, the Clean Coalition is implementing its Solar Microgrid Methodology to provide guidance on the economic, environmental, and financial benefits of incorporating a Solar Microgrid. |
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A Fixed Charge Solution that satisfies legal requirements while preempting another attack by the utilities on Local Solar |
A fixed charge cannot be considered the silver bullet solution to make electric rates affordable for all Californians. The most effective way to save ratepayers money and reduce rates for everyone — to the tune of hundreds of billions over the coming decades — is to reduce the cost drivers leading to skyrocketing rates, namely investments in transmission infrastructure. Importantly, the result will also deliver an unparalleled trifecta of economic, environmental, and resilience benefits associated with deploying Local Solar to communities everywhere. |
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The Forum's Board approves 1 MW solar PPA and the potential to add battery storage in the future |
Utilizing the insights gained from the Clean Coalition's Feasibility Study, the Forum's Board approved moving forward with a solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and initiating contract negotiations for their full-service retirement community. This solar PPA is projected to result in nearly $1 million in net cumulative bill savings over the course of 25 years. |
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6th graders at Peabody Elementary School demand solar at their school with the help of the Clean Coalition's expertise |
Sixth graders from Peabody Elementary School will utilize Clean Coalition's technical support to deliver a presentation to the school board regarding the economic, environmental, and resilience benefits of incorporating a Solar Microgrid into their school. |
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Clean Coalition & Aurora Solar partner to offer college student's solar siting software in a Solar Microgrid Methodology course module |
Clean Coalition and Aurora Solar will combine their respective expertise and resources to contribute to a sustainable, clean-energy future. Aurora will provide their industry standard solar siting software and learning modules to help proliferate the Clean Coalition's non-profit mission in a Solar Microgrid Methodology (SMM) course curated by the Clean Coalition. Santa Barbara City College will be offering the first class during Fall 2023 that includes a 6-week module on the SMM. Environmental Studies 116 is the class, and the course code is ENVS 116. |
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Clean Coalition in the news |
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6th grade students band together to demand solar at Peabody Elementary School
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Microutility supporters raise questions about California's progress on Microgrids
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Locals reflect on President's Day
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Proposed decision moves California closer to making $200M available for Community Microgrids
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T&D World Live Conference & Exhibition
12-14 September 2023, Sacramento, CA
The Clean Coalition is a partner organization for this event, which will take place at the Safe Credit Union Convention Center. Use discount code CLEANCO25 to receive 25% off conference passes Register here.
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Net Zero 2023 Conference
13-14 September 2023, Los Angeles, CA
The Clean Coalition is a partner organization for this event, which will host the world's largest net zero conference & expo. Use discount code NETZERO15 to receive 15% off conference passes Register here.
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LABC's 17th Annual Sustainability Summit
22 September 2023 at 7am - 3pm PT, Los Angeles, CA
The Clean Coalition is a partner organization for this event, which will take place at the USC Town & Gown in Los Angeles, California. Register here.
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Central Coast Bioneers Conference
23 September 2023, San Luis Obispo, CA
Executive Director, Craig Lewis, will present on Renewables-driven Microgrids during this conference, which will take place in the Octagon Barn in San Luis Obispo, CA. Register here.
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California Germany Agrivoltaics Conference
1 November 2023, Davis, CA
The Clean Coalition is a partner organization for this event, which will take place at the UC Davis Activities and Recreation Center in Davis, California. Use discount code GACC_20 to receive 40% off conference passes. Register here.
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Mountain West Renewables Summit
7-8 November 2023, Sal Lake City, UT
The Clean Coalition is a partner organization for this event, which will take place at the Sheraton Salt Lake City Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah. Use discount code 231420 to receive 15% off registration. Register here.
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Intersolar North America | Energy Storage North America Conference
17-19 January 2024, San Diego, CA
The Clean Coalition is a partner organization for this event, which will take place at the San Diego Convention Center. Register here.
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If you are interested in having a Clean Coalition expert present at your event, please contact us at info@clean-coalition.org.
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Santa Barbara | Menlo Park |
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