Arizona's Solar Narrative - Solar Is Here - at AZ Solar Summit III

10 Oct 2012

Transcription of Building and Strengthening the Narrative presentation:

We are here today because the cacophony of voices praising or criticizing solar energy generally confuses interested parties and immobilizes progress towards adoption of the technology. Polarization of opinions across political party lines further impedes the development of solar power – an essentially neutral, non-partisan, valuable and contributing source for Arizona’s energy portfolio. Even among like-minded solar industry participants and proponents, a multitude of opinions conflict.

The Solar Narrative Working Group recommends unifying these voices under an umbrella organization that promotes their common ideas, interests and needs. As Jeff said, this presentation is designed to illuminate how the Narrative, with the unilateral public-private support of industry, may approach, inform and engage key audiences. 

The Narrative’s goal: [see slide]

We begin where we should, with education. The only way to sustain awareness and interest in a subject for generations is to include it in the curriculum. Several organizations have the goal of doing just that. The NSF-funded GK-12, DoE-sponsored Solar Decathlon house-building competition, and the new multi-university QESST solar research laboratory – all major developments growing out of ASU – all have educational outreach mandates for our public schools. These groups need assistance with educational materials, solar carts for interactive classroom participation, more bodies to teach and voices to give guest appearances in classrooms. And the Arizona Science Center, where my grandparents took me as a child, houses an out-of-date Solarville display requiring a significant upgrade, developed jointly by teachers and industry, to better educate classroom field trips and family visits year-round.

Homework and take-home materials can reinforce a broad-based, multi-year, multi-platform effort to inform and engage energy consumers statewide. New media ought to play a key role in the same way TV and radio once took on the task when Bell Labs created the first functional solar cell. Back then the public asked, “Why should I care about solar energy?” And the question remains, “Why should I care?” Bell labs had an answer 56 years ago. The industry needs to get behind clear answers like these today.

Growing outward from the home, communities have access to free, unbiased solar education through AZ Smart Power – an organization that speaks with interested groups (HOAs, churches, school districts, towns), provides them with clear, concise, informative pamphlets, and advises them on smart energy decisions. Last December, the ACC cut $700,000/yr of APS solar marketing budget earmarked for AZ Smart Power. With the appropriate support, it can produce community results such as these in the course of 2 months.

Scaling upward we acknowledge that municipalities continue to play a pivotal role in solar industry development. The economic multiplier of investing locally benefits cities through jobs, tax revenue, and higher incomes that can purchase homes and grow strong service and retail sectors. Just two weeks ago, at a sustainability forum, the mayors of Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa concluded that the single greatest challenge they face is education. When asked what we (the audience) could do, they said “educate those policymakers… to make sure we have the tools to attract investment.” We’ll get to policymakers in a minute.

But to attract, retain, and promote industry investment and innovation, the state needs to showcase its assets. We have a solid solar food chain in-state, but lack a service/product database where prospective and current state-invested organizations can readily find partners and products to complement their work. Arizona’s outstanding logistics need to be brought to the forefront: we’re the #2 market nationally, have major corridors to #1 and to the burgeoning renewable market of our southern neighbors in Mexico.

And central to all of these developments is our electrical utility network. Far from being the enemy, they are our partners, and a major audience for the Narrative. With the inevitable higher penetration of renewables, utilities will need industry support in handling a host of technical issues such as reactive power control, which will require stronger electrical codes like those already in place across Europe. They also need a simplified, standardized permitting process, something the Governor’s Solar Task Force is tackling, alongside transmission and financing concerns.

All these audiences require stable and effective policy. To that end, the narrative must address the state legislature and the broader Arizona policy community. We have partnerships that will allow us to reach this audience where they work. Thanks to the GOEP, ASU and the University of New Mexico’s joint Solar Decathlon home has permission to be sited right here, on the capitol mall, for visitors and elected officials alike to tour and participate in the state’s research, development, construction and implementation of smart energy solutions. The home – which is also currently seeking industry sponsorship – has also been allowed a display within the capitol building, highlighting a neutral, non-partisan, fact-based, upbeat presentation of solar energy’s role in the desert southwest. Finally, a cooperation between the GOEP and EPIC seeks to create and present Arizona energy courses to the state’s legislature in the upcoming January session. These courses will impartially cover the entire mix of state energy resources, powers granted to congress and to the ACC, and the safe, stable growth towards Arizona’s energy future.

Under any circumstances, reaching large numbers of constituents requires a broad-based effort. But it is not enough to reach audiences; they must also be engaged. Human nature and consumer behavior tell us that audiences who hear the same message from different sources become more receptive to that message. Thus it is vital for the narrative to be adopted and promoted by every stakeholder group that has a vested interest in Arizona’s solar future, and for the message to be consistently delivered by these stakeholders.  For this reason, this working group recommends the creation of a broad coalition of stakeholders beneath a shared organization which can adopt a coherent narrative, develop an appropriate communications plan, and fund its implementation through channels such as these.

[END]

Potential Questions for Panel Discussion:

• What is a proper time horizon for implementing a Narrative?  
• What audience groups are missing from this construct?
• How do we drive sufficient support for an umbrella organization to ensure adequate funding?
• How can this umbrella successfully collaborate with - and leverage the work of - other organizations that have their own agendas?
• How do we prevent this effort from becoming politicized?
• What is the discussion surrounding cost of importing gas & coal vs. developing renewable resources in-state?
• How do we carry on the general marketing efforts of APS & utilities in the absence of a regulatory-driven environment?