Authors: Ronald Bethea and Will Shirley 1/10/2021 NABS
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACKS IN SOLAR
T/A Blacks in Solar
1105 W Street SE Washington, D.C. 20020 Phone 202.506.7586
www.blacksinsolar.org
PRESS RELEASE
The Platform presented herein is in response to 5 years of solar industry research and data analysis Compiled by the POSITIVE CHANGE PURCHASING COOPERATIVE LLC of Takoma Park Maryland 20912
Founding/Charter Members
From: Ronald K. Bethea: President of PCPC LLC and NABS Contact: 202-246-4924: www.positivechangepc.com
Washington DC — The National Association of Blacks in Solar (NASB) is soliciting your company’s input regarding market conditions in your market segment and is also requesting that members of the Congressional Black Caucus host an Executive Congressional Hearing on a Green Economic Development Plan for Black America developed by NABS. The hearing will include members of the CBC who serve on oversight committees that play key roles in climate change and renewable energy. In the first quarter of the new year, 2021, NABS will be developing a national solar-based economic development plan to combat climate change for African American communities nationally. The purpose of calling for A Green Economic Development Plan for Black America is as follows:
· Establishment of a process for evaluating social, political, economic environments priorities in the development of an individualized long-term solar strategy for HBCUs, Black banks, Black churches, Black municipalities, Black county governments, Black businesses, Black non-profits. and demanding that the Biden Administration invest 35% of the $1.7 trillion that his administration plans to invest in clean energy over his first four years to combat climate change.
· Community engagement over the last 12 years to educate the African American community about climate change and the solar industry with its many benefits has been a major problem. Because getting the solar industry, city, state and federal government to invest advertising dollars with African American owned media to educate African American communities has been a major issue nationally. The NABS will be solicitating funding from the public and private sectors to pay for syndication and broadcasting costs with the Urban One Radio Network of radio programs such as “Solar Now and the Future With its Economic Impact on Black America.” The program educates the black community locally and nationally about the economic impacts of climate change and provides environmental education to the black community. Through syndication, the program will be heard in 76 markets nationally, which will help drive public opinion in reaching our stated goals.
· Targeting African American-owned institutions, including HBCUs, black-owned banks, businesses, churches, farmers, and property owners, along with targeted funding for African American-owned commercial and residential units nationally through the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) and The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The Biden administration is planning to implement these resources over his first term.
· Requesting full funding for a national HBCU Five-Year Green Economic Development Sustainability Plan developed by the Positive Change Purchasing Cooperative, LLC. and PEER Consultants, led by their CEO, Dr. Lilia Abron, P.E., BCEE receives the highest professional distinction accorded to an engineer, as an inductee of the National Academy of Engineers Class of 2020
The plan also includes:
A. Increasing the market share for African American solar design, installation, and work force development companies. The NASB will work on public policy issues with stakeholders from the public and private sectors such as the following:
1. African American Mayors Association
2. Public service commissions and black members of those PSC Commissions, nationally
3. Black state legislative caucuses and their members, nationally
4. Black city council members, county commissioners, nationally
5. Other non-profit organizations advocating for equity for African American communities in the solar industry.
B. Using Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) as a national organizing tool to cut energy costs for black-owned businesses and residential properties, nationally and to negotiate with Chain Store Franchisers on Solar for Black Franchisees.
C. Using the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) which provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to African American agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase or install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficient improvements.
D. Negotiating a position with major corporations to serve as off takers for NABS Member Projects on their books.
E. Open negotiation with the U.S. DOE Solar Training Network to establish a National Solar STEM Program, as well as establishing Solar Job Training Centers at Selected HBCUs and other locations around the country.
F. Open Negotiation with training platform owners to standardize solar job training in the black community nationwide through NABS members and partnerships..
G. Achieving a National Solar Consultancy for black Institutions, municipalities, counties, and communities
H. Creating a legal department that will work to develop public policy to work with other associations in pursuit of solar policies beneficial to African American and other communities of color nationally
I. Helping to establish offices of sustainability at all our HBCUs that need them.
J. Targeting all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to become NABCEP continuing education certificate training providers through their continuing education and workforce development programs working in conjunction with African American owned solar companies to provide online training in their local area marketplaces for interested candidates.
K. Encouraging HBCUs with workforce development programs to work in conjunction with local solar companies in their market laces to help them develop apprenticeship training programs for individuals successful in completing the NABCEP continuing education or work development training programs.
L. Encouraging HBCUs with Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) to help identify students majoring in business administration at HBCUs to assist local solar companies in writing proposals targeting local and federal grants to develop training programs, reducing the time and resources needed for smaller solar companies in their marketplace to complete the application process for grants.
M. Encouraging HBCUs to enter into more public/private partnerships with solar companies and private investment companies to set up more solar farms on African American-owned farmlands and HBCU campuses nationally.
We are coming together to establish a budget for funding these initiatives from the Biden Administration to target assistance for your companies in the form of program assistance that will help bolster the solar marketplace in your solar market demographics and create greater opportunity for your company.
It is extremely important that you submit to us any inequities that exist in your marketplace that restrict your company’s growth going forward into 2021.
With your input, we can design solar program options that will help your company gain more solar contracts, increase solar job training in your communities, leverage your expertise in the deliverance of solar farm development for HBCUs in your market segments.
Based on five years of research and data collection, Positive Change Purchasing Cooperative LLC has discovered numerous discrepancies in the solar industry when it comes to black-owned solar companies achieving an equitable level of solar contracting. With your support and input, we can deliver a budget to President Biden Administration that relieves Black-owned solar companies of the unfair practices in the solar industry. The budget will also deliver to Black America the very first national plan that will accomplish the following:
A. Increase solar job training in our African American communities, nationally.
B. Help in the designing of solar programs that assist Black-owned solar companies in delivering solar power to Black municipalities, counties, towns, and businesses nationwide.
C. Create an incentive for HBCUs to enter into public -private partnerships with African American owned solar companies to build large scale solar farms to offset their energy costs after salaries, as their number two fixed cost.
D. Provide assistance to your company in securing a place in the growth metrics that other solar companies are poised to take advantage of beginning next year as the Biden Administration rolls out investment plans to combat climate change.
NABS has formed a national organization working specifically to help our African American-owned solar companies gain a market share by funding a “Green Economic Development Plan for Black America.”
Here’s how you can get on board with the process. The National Association of Blacks in Solar will offer you a complementary 1-year membership if you are able to complete the attached short survey of your company’s needs relative to expanding your participation in the solar market, especially in the Black community.
Once you complete the survey of your needs to better compete in the marketplace, we must work together to ensure your concerns are heard and acted upon in the coming years. After you complete the survey, we will email to all of you the final version of the 2021 National Policy Platform of the National Association of Blacks
in Solar. After receiving your responses, we will be setting up a national zoom call in early January 2021.
Ronald K. Bethea
Regards,
Ron Bethea, President, National Association of Blacks in Solar and President/CEO, Positive Change Purchasing Cooperative LLC: contact: Cell: (202) 246-4921: email: info@positivechangepc.com
Will R. Shirley, Vice-President, National Association of Blacks in Solar
President/CEO, Sundial Solar Power Developers, Inc. License #: 19590-SC
DON’T BE LEFT OUT OF THE BIDEN GREEN ECONOMY PLAN!!
With your help The National Association of Blacks in Solar will achieve historic solar policy changes that will support African American -owned solar companies nationwide.1. Is your company facing problems gaining significant market share in your market demographics, because of the lack of public policy to address the following:
- Renewable Portfolio Standards Legislation (RPS)
- Net Metering & Rates
- Low-income Solar Access
- Community (Shared) Solar
- Incentives & Market Drivers
- Building a Modern Grid
2. Are you located in a regulated or deregulated market area? .
3. If your company operating in a deregulated market area, has your local PSC passed legislation that sets forth the required annual compliance reporting to the commission for electricity suppliers to demonstrate compliance with the applicable RPS, including acquisition of the number of RECs?
4. Is there a requirement that sets forth an alternative compliance fee amount that your suppliers must pay to your local DOE, if it has not complied with annual RPS and allows those fees to be passed on to their customers?
5. Has your local DOE put forth legislation to your local PSC for funding a Green Bank for financing funding solar projects in your market area?
6. Are you having problems locating off takers for large Mega Watt projects for which you are presently attempting to secure financing?
7. Has the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program been implemented commercial or residential by your local government in your market demographics?
8. Have you applied on behalf of a client and was your company approved?
9. Does your market demographics qualify for the Rural Energy for America Program Renewal Energy System & Energy Efficiency Improvement Loans & Grants program?
10. Have you applied on behalf of a client and was your company approved?
12. Has your company had problems in delivering solar services to your local governments?
11. Has your company had problems serving your local school districts or HBCUs in your market demographics?
12. Who is pushing public policy in your market demographics and is your company participating in structuring local solar policy that will help your company and your community?
13. Have local solar initiatives for low-and moderate-income residents and homeowners been launched in your market demographics?
14. Are you aware of the fact in 1976 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) vs Federal Commission 425, US 662 1976 (“FPC,” FERC’s predecessor?