On the outskirts of the small city of Kingston, NY, lies a compound that once belonged to IBM. Once, it hummed with activity that fired the economy of an entire region. Then, in the 1990s, IBM and Kingston parted ways and the compound went silent.
It’s safe to say Kingston will never be the same. A look at one of the current tenants of what has been rechristened Tech City may suggest that of course it will never be the same.
Ultimately, it’ll be better.
How and why was the Solar Energy Consortium created, and what does it do?
The Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC) envisions a world where solar energy is everywhere, supplying clean, renewable and reliable power. TSEC focuses on two primary challenges; grow the photovoltaic (PV) industry in New York State---and increase efficiency of PV panels through collaborative industry/university R&D initiatives. Our mission is to double the efficiency of PV systems and decrease the installed costs by 50%.
TSEC was organized because progressive leadership in the Hudson Valley and New York State realize that we must decarbonize our energy supply. Virtually every power plant in America is going to be retired by 2050. By educating, advocating, researching, investing and legislating----we can bring clean sustainable energy to the grid, create economic opportunity and perhaps reduce the more than 140 billion dollars that Americans spend on electricity each year!
You've remarked that the people involved in this venture are "not environmentalists- they are all capitalists." Do you think we are headed toward a reality in which a smart capitalist will need to think like an environmentalist- or at least factor in those concerns?
"Smart" capitalists are environmentalists, and smart environmentalists are capitalists!. They have learned to appreciate the interdependent relationship-the importance of sustainable growth and development-of clean air, renewable power sources, technology and energy efficiency-and the imperative need for a thriving, dynamic and sustainable economy. Objective erudition concludes that the economy and the environment must (and will) hang out together and become best friends. Together we can attract and create real jobs---real close to home!
Is solar going to become more affordable for homeowners and businesses?
YES. Solar energy will become more affordable, for we will succeed by: advancing solar innovation with R&D, enabling manufacturing, driving economic development by attracting global companies and investment to NYS, and providing leadership, expertise and support to private as well as public entities. If we attract a solar industry cluster to the Hudson Valley, with accelerated technologies and manufacturing closer to the point of sale (70 million consumers in the Boston-Washington corridor), critical mass and economies of scale will drive costs down. As will consumers’ desire for clean, renewable solar energy, and public policy that helps to minimizes risk for the industry and create incentives for the consumer.
What can government do to facilitate a solar-based manufacturing renaissance?
The last sentence in my response to your previous inquiry touched on what government can do. The government (all sectors) can "let the sun in" with simple policies like investment tax credits, accelerated depreciation schedules (both now in play on Federal level), tax abatements for solar farms, utility incentives, county and local renewable energy commitments, solar appliances and technology mandates for government buildings and local building codes. I could go on and on (so could you) with creative, practical and common sense ways in which government can---and will facilitate solar-based solutions for our energy needs. A commitment and leadership from the top---the President--will most certainly sustain a presence of mind and urgency to build support for a solar and renewable energy and environmental program that will revitalize our economy.
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