From Guest Blogger Paul Spencer, CEO of the Clean Energy Collective: Shifting Toward a More Sustainable Future
Clean Energy Collective (CEC) was honored as one of the 2014 SHIFT Sustainability Award Winners for its contribution to a healthier ecosystem, healthier communities and reduced resource consumption. More than 600 organizations were evaluated, and the top 50 were chosen for their “effective, innovative conservation and sustainability initiatives.”
Dedication to Sustainability
From its inception, CEC has striven to make solar energy more accessible and affordable for everyone, and developed the nation’s first community-owned solar arrays. While nine of 10 Americans want to harness the sun’s energy, nearly 80 percent are unable to install their own solar system due to shaded rooftops, HOA restrictions, financial constraints or the fact they rent their home or business. By deploying and maintaining large-scale, shared solar facilities, CEC allows commercial and residential customers to own solar panels without installing an array on their roof or property.
As our natural resources become depleted, reducing the consumption of fossil fuels is increasingly essential. CEC offers individuals, businesses and municipalities the ability to own solar panels and reduce their electricity bills, while producing clean energy that is fed back to the utility grid and distributed among ratepayers. Offsetting thousands of tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, CEC’s community-owned solar arrays improve the air quality for local communities, resulting in healthier residents and a more flourishing ecosystem.
Because CEC’s solar arrays are owned instead of leased, they provide customers with an asset that generates a financial payback over the long-term. This allows solar panel owners—many of whom value locally-sourced energy—to reinvest their money into the community, strengthening its economic vitality. In fact, throughout its lifetime the average 1-megawatt CEC solar array generates $25 million for the community it serves.
Influencing Behavior
SHIFT has named CEC and other communities that display similar initiatives “GEMS” or Gateways to Environments of Major Significance. SHIFT reveals that its goal is to publicize the sustainability efforts of these top 50 North American organizations in an effort to “influence the behavior of the tens of millions of people who visit them every year.”
The SHIFT Culture Summit, which takes place in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on Oct. 8, will showcase the sustainability award winners. The Summit will feature speakers, break-out sessions, and an opportunity to develop strategies and partnerships with organizations that have similar sustainability goals.
The Culture Summit kicks off SHIFT’s annual four-day festival that uses food, film, lectures and outdoor recreation to celebration the joining of conservation with culture, nature and adventure.
— GUEST BLOG BY PAUL SPENCER OF CLEAN ENERGY COLLECTIVE
