|
»One voice for
solar«
As word leaked out at October's UPEx conference that the US PV NGOs Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) were setting up a task force to consider a union, PHOTON International's William P. Hirshman talked with Glenn Hamer, executive director of SEIA, about the reasoning behind the
move.
 |
|
|
 |
©
photon-pictures.com |
|
Glenn Hamer, who has been lobbying for solar since joining SEIA as executive director in January 2001, thinks a merger with SEPA would help the cause.
|
|
|
PHOTON: How did the idea of merging SEIA and SEPA come
about?
Hamer First of all, the merger is by no means a done deal. But this industry is not of sufficient size to host two or three or four trade groups
– even if we were ten times bigger than we are today. All the photovoltaic companies are interested in ways in which they could establish better relationships with the energy service providers, with the utilities. That's where the money is. And for PV growth to accelerate in this country, we're going to need to see a continued dramatic growth in the grid-connected sector.
PHOTON You're talking about large-scale centralized systems?
Hamer Yes. Very useful experience has been built up over the last few years through the utility sector.
PHOTON It sounds like your goal is to unite the lobbying efforts of both organizations behind pro-solar legislation.
Hamer Yes, and that single organization would essentially become the voice of solar. The message at SEIA of recent years
– at least since I came on board – and SEPA has been eerily similar. Both need certain tax incentives. Even on the interconnection front, it is recognized that we need more standardized plug and play. On the R&D front, we are in 100 percent agreement that we need a more robust budget. Of course, there are some differences. But by and large, the utilities involved in SEPA want to learn about solar. A number of them are already doing solar
– particularly the municipal utilities. So let's figure out a way to roll the organizations into one.
PHOTON What kind of a budget are you envisioning for this new entity?
Hamer My ultimate vision is that we get the trade association's budget to over $1 million.
PHOTON But some of the utilities you want to include are prohibited from lobbying.
Hamer Aside from maintaining our status as a trade association, we could go for a status that would allow more non-profit, educational activities for those organizations that are prohibited from contributing to lobbying efforts.
PHOTON What about setting up political action committees – or PACs as they are known
– to funnel campaign contributions to selected members of congress?
Hamer At some point along the way in terms of the maturation of the entire industry, we need a solar PAC that can contribute to the candidates on the federal level who care about us. Every federal candidate who is credible has a campaign staff. And every campaign staff will go to great lengths to secure even a $250 check. That means you can send a questionnaire to every credible campaign, educating them about solar and asking,
»Where do you stand?« Now wouldn't that be useful information? And I bet we'll find out
– as we often do accidentally in California – that many of them have solar on their homes.
PHOTON But playing the political money game could also be risky.
Hamer It's a scary place to be. But we need to get there. My guess is that candidates who received, say, a $100 solar PAC check, instead of trying to hide the contribution from the public, would exploit it by sending out press releases announcing the contributions.
PHOTON But isn't there a danger that the merger of SEIA and SEPA would water down the PV message with large-scale installations at the expense of residential systems? The SEPA members from the utilities seem frightened about being saddled with the added cost of small-scale installations.
Hamer For some, not all. Look at the Sacramento Municipal Utility Department. And the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which has a goal of 100,000 residential PV roofs by 2010. I don't see any danger that the message would get watered down. If the merger happens, the mission statement would be very clear
– to advance solar. And if companies or utilities can't swallow that, they will just not be part of the organization. But my guess is that if is done the right way, the membership base would be much greater.
PHOTON What kind of response are you getting from members of SEIA to the merger idea?
Hamer They are supporting the idea of seriously considering this. Playing in Washington at our level, we need to be much smarter about how we spend resources. We have got to change the policy so that we get more solar. In Germany and Japan, you can have all the public education you want
– but rip away those incentive programs and good luck.
PHOTON If the merger comes to pass, do you have any idea what the new association would be called?
Hamer There were a couple of different names tossed about. My personal favorite would be the Solar Energy Interest Association.
PHOTON So it would keep the same acronym?
Hamer I don't know how the industry people would feel about that, but it would also allow for individual members
– perhaps foundations, people who care about our core message – to get involved. ... What we're trying to figure out is if there is a way to effectively and efficiently get the solar message out and get more solar deployed in the United States.
PHOTON Thank you for the interview.
|
|
