Washington, D.C. — More and more Americans from all income brackets are installing solar panels on their rooftops to lower their electricity bills and generate clean power. Faced with this competition, some electric utilities and fossil-fuel interests are mounting campaigns to make it harder for new consumers to join the solar market. The Center for American Progress will host a panel discussion on Wednesday, March 25, 2015, to explore state and federal options to ensure equitable access to solar power, including initiatives that the California State Legislature is pursuing that could serve as a national model.
Rooftop solar arrays are not a luxury item limited to the wealthy. Research shows that increasing numbers of middle-class households are adopting solar energy, and several states have implemented policies to ensure that low-income households can access solar power as well. But some electric utilities are falsely claiming that solar energy only benefits wealthier Americans, at the expense of the majority of electricity ratepayers. This event will explore the benefits of solar energy for all consumers and discuss policy options to expand Americans’ access to clean energy technology.
WHO:
Introduction:
Neera Tanden, President, Center for American Progress
Featured speaker:
Sen. Kevin de León (D), President pro Tempore, California State Senate
Featured panelists:
Jacqueline Patterson, Director of the Environmental and Climate Justice Program, NAACP
Emily Kofsky, Director of Product Management, SolarCity
Nicole Steele, Executive Director, GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic
Moderated by:
Greg Dotson, Vice President for Energy Policy, Center for American Progress
WHEN:
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
10:00 a.m. ET – 11:00 a.m. ET
WHERE:
Center for American Progress
1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
RSVP to attend this event.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.