SOLAR COLLABORATION PLAN FOR ARIZONA

SOLAR COLLABORATION PLAN FOR ARIZONA Prepared by the Science Foundation Arizona SOLAR TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE For the participants in the Solar Summit Dinner February 12, 2009 OPPORTUNITY FOR ARIZONA The recent AERO Report and the recommendations of the Arizona Leadership Summit on Solar Energy and Economics point to the fact that solar energy is a complex field and to become the leading state in the nation in solar energy generation and manufacturing Arizona must take dramatic actions on several fronts including technology development, land planning, economic development incentives, solar installation goals and subsidies, and infrastructure development. Each of these areas has their own specific set of stakeholders. It is important that they all work together in a coordinated, collaborative way in order to achieve the synergism necessary to make a major impact on the future of the state. At issue at least initially is the role universities play in building the needed collaborative. At a meeting of key stakeholders following the Solar Summit, Science Foundation Arizona (SFAz) was asked to accept responsibility for serving as the statewide organization to develop a structure that will become the focus of Arizona solar energy activities. This structure will be an inclusive structure that brings together all organizations in the state to provide a single “go-to” point for information about solar energy in the state and to help create the needed advantage for Arizona in upcoming federal competitions. Some of the important outcomes of this collaboration include:  Attracting more solar manufacturing industry to Arizona;  Growth of solar energy generation in the state;  Increased federal, state and venture capital funding for solar manufacturing and energy development in Arizona. One model for this type of collaboration is the statewide Bio Steering Committee convened by the Flinn Foundation. This group is composed of representatives from universities, hospitals, state agencies, and other public and private biomedical R&D entities. They meet on a regular basis to discuss each group’s progress, hear presentations from outsiders with interesting ideas for advancing bio, and discuss activities that might be done collaboratively to move bioscience to a level of prominence in Arizona. Having Flinn act as a neutral convener helps the groups work together as colleagues rather than competitors. The Solar Technology Institute (STI) established by SFAz could perform the same role for solar energy in Arizona as the Flinn Foundation does for biotechnology. The collaboration formed by SFAz STI would help to coordinate and fund communication forums and advocacy activities for solar manufacturing and energy generation in Arizona. 2 DISCUSSION There are an estimated 20 major organizational groups that are known to have an interest in Arizona solar energy development. These are listed in Table I. There is some collaboration among the organizations but not one that involves all the organizations nor one that is done in a structured manner. Further there is no one organization stepping forward to take on an overall collaboration responsibility. It is the recommendation of university research leadership as well as the leaders of other organizations participating in the AERO Report and the Arizona Leadership Summit on Solar Energy and Economics that Science Foundation Arizona investigate assuming this responsibility through the Solar Technology Institute (STI) that was recently established by SFAz. The Science Foundation Arizona Solar Technology Institute is prepared to assume a leadership position in helping coordinate the activities needed to achieve the goals of the AERO Report and implement the recommendations of the Arizona Leadership Summit on Solar Energy and Economics. The rational for this action is that Science Foundation Arizona provides neutral grounds for discussing plans and priorities for the advancement of solar energy in Arizona and can help coordinate advocacy activities when appropriate. SFAz STI envisions a collaborative that includes the three university based solar energy centers and other key stakeholders and which meets on a regular basis to provide a forum on neutral ground to share information and ideas on current and planned activities and to set the agenda for new activities needed to move the cause of solar energy forward in the state. Other stakeholders such as those listed in Table I will be invited to join the collaborative, but it must be recognized that such collaboration is voluntary and there must be buy in by the relevant parties. Additional stakeholder groups may emerge in the months ahead and they, too, will be invited to join the collaborative. In addition to acting as a clearinghouse for information on solar energy activities in Arizona, the collaboration could address other issues raised by its stakeholders. Using the AERO Report and the Arizona Leadership Summit on Solar Energy and Economics recommendations as a guide the collaboration could seek to identify paramount problems that are preventing widespread adoption of solar power that need joint action and then reach consensus on who takes the lead in developing strategies to solve these problems. Such problems include a process for identifying cost sharing capabilities particularly as it pertains to responding to federal and state funding opportunities, and clarifying management of intellectual property as it pertains to new ideas and technologies that fit the Arizona market conditions. It can also broker relationships between small businesses and universities for SBIR and STTR projects. SFAz STI believes that by sponsoring important activities identified by the group including information activities at the legislature, economic development activities, and land use or policy studies it will be recognized as a leading organization furthering solar energy in the state and attract other stakeholders to join the collaborative. At the federal level it is anticipated that the new administration will initiate some major programs in solar energy and the state must be able to effectively respond to these opportunities. For both federally supported research and development projects and for 3 demonstration projects it is important to have a mechanism in place for rapid action response. This includes the ability for broad, rapid, and accurate communications as well has having prioritized goals and objectives for the state and well defined operational procedures. The collaborative could be central in establishing this mechanism. Science Foundation Arizona through its recently established Arizona Solar Technology Institute provides the tool for action in Arizona. 4 TABLE I: ARIZONA ORGANIZATIONS WITH INTERESTS IN SOLAR ENERGY 1) Organizations that seek input regarding solar technology, investment, and industries:  Utilities  Arizona Legislature  Economic Development Organizations  Federal Research and Development  National Policy Organizations (NARUC, FERC, Renewable Energy Policy Project, National SEIA)  Regional Climate Change  Regulatory Commissions  Other state research collaboratories  Venture Capital and Financing Entities  State Government (Governor’s Solar Energy Advisory Council; DOC)  Courts (Goldwater Institute filing, Law in the Public Interest)  Public Service/News Organizations 2) Organizations that provide input:  Environmental non profits (PIRG, Sierra Club, Western Resources)  Organized and funded industry groups (Solar Alliance, AriSEIA Arizona Wind Energy Working Group, CSP Alliance Distributed Energy Assoc.)  Universities (AIRE, AZRISE, RES)  Science Foundation Arizona STI  Rep Lucy Mason solar advisory group  Energy Efficiency (SWEEP)  Individual Solar Company Staffs  Hired consultants and lobbyists (Utilities and Solar Alliance and Individual solar firms have registered lobbyists and use consultants that participate in organizational efforts)  Congresswoman Giffords’ Solar Energy Advisory Council  Arizona Chamber of Commerce 3) Organizations that have collaboration as part of their strategy:  Solar Alliance has weekly conference calls  Governor’s Solar Energy Advisory Council meets monthly (but not recently)  Representative Lucy Mason’s group meets irregularly  AIRE and AZRISE have informational workshops on research and development  Tucson Solar Coalition  Congresswoman Gifford’s Solar Energy Advisory Council Meets Regularly 5 ACTION The first action by SFAz STI will be to form a working group that will include the technical and administrative leadership from the three universities and representatives from the offices of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and State Representative Lucy Mason. Support at both of these levels is essential for performance and accountability. An organizational meeting will be held to determine their willingness to collaborate in a coordinating group for solar energy and to identify ways that the state can benefit through this type of collaboration. This group will work together to develop a list of stakeholders active in Arizona’s solar energy policy, technology, economic development and industry areas and develop a consensus on how to include them in a broader collaboration effort. This will include many of the organizations listed in Table I such as ACC, DOC, utility companies, AriSEIA, and regional development offices. A strategy will be developed for identifying future activities of the collaboration including defining the frequency of meetings, any budget requirements, and leadership assignments. The action items of the AERO Solar Energy Task Force report and the Arizona Summit on Solar Energy and Economics will be discussed to determine if the collaboration can play a useful role in implementing any of them. These include projects for:       both central solar generation and distributed solar generation; a comparison of our tax incentives for solar companies compared to other states; recruiting solar companies to move to Arizona; SFAz STI supported technology development programs; conducting workshops on permitting procedures; identifying breakthrough technologies and obtaining venture capital to support its development; and  developing a communication strategy to obtain widespread public support of the solar vision for Arizona.  exploration of other possible incentives, other than tax incentives, to attract solar companies to Arizona (e.g. a metrology lab)  developing a strategy to bring about policy and legislative actions by the state and federal governments. REVIEW Any changes or adjustments needed in the coordination process will be made in real time and communicated broadly to insure effectiveness to the stakeholders. SFAz has agreed to support the statewide solar coordination activity for a period of 12 months at which time the effectiveness and usefulness of this work can be reviewed to determine its effectiveness. 6