February 2021 Connections |
|
Where we are and where we are going.....Stay connected |
|
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR |
|
There is no Planet B
February saw entire regions of the country suffering under freezing conditions, significant accumulations of snow and ice, and crippling power outages. Unfortunately, some politicians are blaming renewable energy for massive failures, instead of taking responsibility for allowing large segments of the energy economy to avoid regulation or for failing to plan for increasing numbers of severe climate-related events.
In fact, renewable energy is crucial to combatting climate change and, in survey after survey, Americans demonstrate support for more government and private sector action on climate and accelerated adoption of clean energy. The challenge lies with elected officials who fail to follow their constituents’ lead. There are several factors working against politicians placing climate change at the top of their lists, including the fact that it’s not at the very top of voters’ lists when it comes to making decisions at the ballot box.
According to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, approximately half of all voters in 2020 said climate was “among several important issues” but only 2 percent said it was the “most important issue.” The same was true even among liberal Democrats, where 83 percent said it was one of several important issues, but still only 2 percent said it was the most important issue. It is understandable, in a year of disastrous health and economic effects of a pandemic, that other concerns would weigh on the minds of voters. But if we want our elected officials to take climate change seriously, we must demonstrate that so many of the issues we care about – food insecurity, communicable diseases, water shortages, air quality, and land use – all have their roots in climate change.
Green Energy Ohio has been expanding our climate programming over the past few years, and we are launching an exciting new program next month. On Monday, March 8, we are beginning a year-long series of virtual conversations on climate as seen through the lens of critical public policy topics. The first, Climate Change and National Security, will examine how climate change is impacting our military readiness and resilience at home and abroad. Please see the announcement below and register for this important discussion, featuring Congresswoman and U.S. Navy veteran Elaine Luria.
Stay warm and safe,
|
|
Jane Harf, Executive Director |
|
THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE |
|
Of the many impacts of climate change, none may be more important than its effect on U.S. national security and defense.
In President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, issued on January 27, the first section is titled “Putting the Climate Crisis at the Center of United States Foreign Policy and National Security.” Whether in discussions of combat readiness, infrastructure resilience, or domestic facility security, policy experts and military leaders have acknowledged that more needs to be done to address climate change in our national defense strategy.
Join Green Energy Ohio as we explore these issues with Congresswoman Elaine Luria, U.S. Navy veteran and member of the Armed Services, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security Committees. Rep. Luria’s district includes Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world, and one situated in an area along the East Coast that has already begun to experience the effects of rising sea levels.
We will also hear from Dr. Robert McCollister, climate and national security expert and a member of the GEO Board of Directors, and a representative of the Air Force research and training facilities housed at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton.
|
|
Green Energy Ohio is excited to announce our
2021 Statewide Electric Vehicle Tour on June 7-11
We will kick off our week-long tour of the state in Cleveland and host a finale in Columbus. In between we will circle the state in electric vehicles, with multiple stops in Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast Ohio. The 2021 Tour will showcase all aspects of electrification by:
- Connecting clean energy with clean transportation.
- Educating the public on EV infrastructure throughout Ohio.
- Featuring EV business and industry partners.
- Building an advocacy coalition for clean transportation.
- Engaging policy-makers at all levels.
- Supporting career pathways in clean transportation.
We cannot say enough about our outstanding Working Group of individuals and organizations such as Clean Fuels Ohio, Rural Action, Drive Ohio (ODOT), the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition, Drive Electric Ohio, BRITE Energy Innovators, and representatives of companies like Sway Mobility, Solar Energy Solutions, and GOJO.
We have divided into regional teams and each is beginning to put pins in the map, identify local partners, and design events that focus on one or more of the Tour’s themes. We’re also starting to solicit regional and statewide corporate and organizational sponsors. And if you’re an individual GEO supporter and EV enthusiast, you can sponsor our road trip too! There will be much more information coming soon, including the launch of a special Tour website. If you have questions, please contact [email protected]
P.S. Last month we introduced you to a long list of electric vehicle terms. Thanks to one of our in-the-know Working Group members, we learned that Level 3 charging should now be referred to as DC Fast Charging.
|
|
Workrise: Supporting Solar from Texas to Ohio
by Courtney VanHuffel
“We empower people who power the world.”
Located in the renewable energy sector of Austin, Texas, Workrise is the leading workforce management solution for the skilled trades. In addition to training employees for particular business niches, or verticals, Workrise also supports companies in the commercial production space to make their dream projects become a reality. Training programs are oriented around Workrise’s six verticals of interest: solar, wind, shipbuilding, construction, midstream and upstream oil/gas.
The mission of Workrise is to put local people to work within these verticals. When looking for the best workers to support commercial projects, Workrise believes there’s no one better than those from the local community to help make the company’s vision come to life.
When Workrise came to Ohio to support an electrical subcontractor, they learned about Ohio’s boom in utility-scale solar. Workrise wanted to be involved and help support the state’s opportunities in the renewable energy sector. After connecting with Green Energy Ohio, they quickly signed on to become our latest Sponsoring Business member.
Tristan Nickelson, Renewables Account Manager at Workrise, is a former football player for the University of Texas. After spending some time in the Canadian professional league, he returned to Texas to join HCS Renewable Energy, a solar staffing and construction company his father started in 2016. Tristan wanted to shift gears from football into workforce training. He was drawn to HCS because he sees renewables as the way of the future.
“It doesn’t take a lot to see the world’s largest oil companies now have solar divisions… solar and renewables are the future, both economically and environmentally.”
You can read the rest of the Spotlight on Workrise and Tristan here.
|
|
The General Assembly has begun its session where it ended last year in dealing with House Bill 6. Once again, there are both Democratic and Republican versions of bills to repeal HB 6 in the House of Representatives (HB 18 and HB 57). This year’s version of a partial repeal bill (SB 10) has already passed the Senate. HB 128 is a similar proposal, but also eliminates the QAQDA program for funding certain solar facilities. Neither of the partial repeal bills reinstate Ohio’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).
Of significant and immediate concern is the Solar and Wind Siting Referendum bill (SB 52) introduced by Senators Reineke and McColley, which would undermine future utility-scale solar and wind development in Ohio. The proposal establishes a process for township trustees to initiate a referendum on the location of projects after they have received their Ohio Power Siting Board certification. In addition, it further increases wind setback requirements. Green Energy Ohio will be providing opponent testimony as part of a broad-based coalition that has come together to oppose the bill. SB 52 is being considered in the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee.
Two proposals (SB 32 and HB 47) would establish a rebate program for EV chargers run by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), funded with $10 million each in FY 2022 and FY 2023. Eligibility for rebates would be limited to non-profits, state agencies and political subdivisions, schools, and businesses with an Ohio address. Also included are DC fast chargers for highway corridors and rural charging or level 2 chargers for public, workplace, fleet, and multifamily use.
Governor DeWine has two pending appointments to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), including one to replace resigned Chairman Sam Randazzo. The Governor rejected the first four names submitted by the Nominating Council and received a new slate of potential nominees last week. Green Energy Ohio signed a letter urging the Governor to appoint a commissioner without ties to the regulated utilities and one who supports clean energy.
|
|
Last October, Green Energy Ohio honored the City of Cincinnati with our Annual Green Achievement Award for Communities and Government. This month, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) also recognized Cincinnati in an article titled Cincinnati Paves the Way for Equitable, Climate-Forward City Planning. The authors cite the city government's power usage goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, along with over 80 recommendations in the 2018 Green Cincinnati Plan that address "a suite of other projects in the fields of environmental sustainability, environmental justice, and climate resilience."
In addition to activities described in the article, this week the City of Cincinnati Office of Environment and Sustainability and Solar United Neighbors announced the launch of the 2021 Solarize Cincy Residential Solar Co-op. Solar United Neighbors has hosted more than two dozen solar co-ops in Ohio since 2016. According to their estimates, homes and businesses that now have solar panels because of co-ops represent 2,584 kW of solar power, $6.6 million in local solar spending, and more than 93 million lbs. of lifetime carbon offset. Solar United Neighbors and Solarize Cincy are partnering to help area residents go solar and will host several online information sessions to educate community members about solar energy and the co-op.
Congratulations to two of GEO’s great partners: Solar United Neighbors and the City of Cincinnati!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
