On February 7, 2020, Professor Ekundayo Shittu led a day-long workshop coordinated by the GW Schools of Engineering and Applied Science and Law. The event, entitled “Examining Community Solar Programs to Understand the Role of Policies on Accessibility and Investment Workshop “was funded by the Sloan Foundation’s Division of Energy and Environment.
The workshop attracted a group of solar ecosystem scholars, industry experts, owners, users, financial entities, utilities, municipal officials and other local government representatives discuss the future of community solar projects. It was successful in identifying factors that inform policy development through a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding community solar project throughout the Nation. Information developed in the workshop is providing guidance for practitioners to help craft guidelines regarding the development of appropriate interventions for future community solar projects.
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Poster at Event |
The event was structured according to three themes, as summarized below:
Theme 1: Barriers to CSP Adoption
• Panel on experiences of utilities from states with and without CSP policies; Victoria Lutterell, Jacob Maddox, Mike Sloan, and Sean Walters
• Panel on perspectives of non-utilities such as NGOs, IPPs with and without favorable local and state initiatives for CSP; David Gahl, Vito Greco, Corwin Homes, Daniel Moring, Vincent Musco, and Corey Ramsden
Theme 2: Evaluating Scenarios of Successful Implementation
• Panel on Success stories from utilities, NGOs, and policymakers; Beth Garza, Vito Greco, Genevieve Hulick, Amit Ronen, and Alexandra Wyatt
• Panel on perspectives from non pro locations; Meghan Chappel, Benjamin Chee, Brian Keane, and Dan Kreeger
Theme 3: Toward a Way Forward – Future Prospects for CSPs
• Panel on policy and regulatory synthesis; David Arfin, Sean Walters, and Pari Kasotia
• Panel on financial mechanisms and alignment; Amit Ronen, Karl Rabago, Pranay Kohli, Alexandra Wyatt, and DOEE representatives
Discussants were Benjamin Chee, Vito Greco, Dan Kreeger, Daniel Moring, and Robert Orttung.
Panel moderators were Donna Attanasio, Payman Dehghanian, Dor Hirsh Bar Gai, Saniya LeBlanc, Ekundayo Shittu, Scott Sklar, Carmen Weigelt, and Erica Wortham.
Other members of the organizing com Donna Attanasio, Payman Dehghanian, Dor Hirsh Bar Gai, Saniya LeBlanc, Ekundayo Shittu, Scott Sklar, Carmen Weigelt, and Erica Wortham