Rebecca Halford is Sol Techniques’ Senior Director, Group Engagement the place she leads groups to develop group engagement methods for renewable power initiatives and ensures inclusive stakeholder participation. With over a decade of expertise in renewable power and local weather technique, Rebecca’s profession contains senior roles at AES Company the place she led stakeholder relations within the WECC area, and at Clear Power Collective the place she managed training and engagement for group photo voltaic initiatives.
I hope you take pleasure in studying how participating communities on infrastructure initiatives fosters belief by session and communication, influencing their success and sustainability.
-Adaora Ifebigh
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How did you start your profession in renewable power, and what do you discover most rewarding about this work? What motivates you in your position as Senior Director for Group Engagement?
Earlier than stepping into photo voltaic power, I owned a small actual property brokerage in Albuquerque, NM that specialised in land growth. I had a small crew, and the market was sturdy. Nevertheless, with the onset of the Nice Recession, the monetary panorama shifted dramatically; banks halted lending, and my enterprise struggled. Regardless of the financial downturn and quite a few enterprise closures, I seen photo voltaic was taking off. As folks started to hunt power independence and benefit from tax incentives, I found a chance that enabled me to current to small teams like actual property brokers, instructing them in regards to the worth of rooftop photo voltaic, and displaying them how they may entry photo voltaic power incentives for his or her properties. From this position, I transitioned to group photo voltaic after which into utility-scale photo voltaic growth.
My motivation has all the time been rooted within the need to share the advantages of photo voltaic power and educate communities about the benefits of transitioning to scrub power. A former colleague used to say, “That is homegrown power,” highlighting the native delight related to creating power from inside communities. I’m captivated with forming connections, conveying the constructive impacts of photo voltaic initiatives, and nurturing relationships to grow to be a trusted associate within the course of.
One of the vital rewarding points of my position is celebrating the completion of a venture. These initiatives require in depth effort and time, from introducing venture concepts to the group and growing plans for native advantages, to realizing the influence by group applications. Understanding that our crew has contributed to long-term constructive change by our applications is extremely fulfilling.
Sol Techniques is a renewable power agency devoted to accelerating America’s clear power future and investing in native communities. What position does group engagement play at Sol Techniques, and the way does the group engagement crew collaborate with different groups to make sure the profitable growth and development of photo voltaic initiatives in native communities?
The Group Engagement Crew performs a key position inside Sol Techniques, working with nearly all of the groups at Sol from the earliest levels of venture growth. Our growth groups depend on us to evaluate alternatives and determine partnerships within the communities the place we intend to develop or buy early-stage initiatives. We preserve observe of our initiatives to know the group suggestions round a brand new infrastructure venture. We work with the coverage crew to know regulatory frameworks that influence photo voltaic growth. Our partnership with the development crew ensures that the group’s expertise with the venture is well-managed, addressing questions and considerations and conserving residents knowledgeable about development timelines. Whether or not it’s the social and financial advantages, or throughout development when it may be slightly bit disturbing or disruptive for a brief time frame inside a group, we signify the group and be certain that our groups hear their voice as we undergo the completely different phases of a venture.
The Sol Techniques’ Impression Crew is a helpful and distinctive associate as we set up relationships with communities in the beginning of a venture. We offer a chicken’s eye view of the group wants that might translate into future financial advantages for the group as soon as the photo voltaic initiatives are operational. The group engagement crew’s earliest efforts form {our relationships} and the impact-driven initiatives that we set up post-construction.
Some communities are passing legal guidelines to ban new renewable power initiatives, whereas others are enacting legal guidelines to stop native governments from doing so. How is your crew navigating these challenges and dealing with communities to advance the clear power transition? How do you tackle considerations or resistance to scrub power initiatives inside these communities?
Partaking with communities permits the developer to know the group’s philosophy and curiosity in giant scale infrastructure initiatives. This engagement highlights the varied roles throughout the group and the way the native authorities is structured. By assembly folks the place they’re—whether or not at townhalls, group festivals, or college conferences—we acquire perception into what issues to the group and discover potentialities for collaboration.
I do not view moratoriums and ordinances for renewable power initiatives as roadblocks. As an alternative, moratoriums can present small governments with the chance to ascertain pointers that guarantee initiatives meet group wants. Outright bans on infrastructure initiatives may be complicated, however we stay hopeful that our crew can meet with the group leaders, construct relationships and attempt to have conversations about infrastructure initiatives respectfully. Profitable photo voltaic initiatives and the financial advantages that come from such initiatives in neighboring communities could assist to minimize considerations from communities which are debating whether or not to go an ordinance towards photo voltaic initiatives or not.
Finally, our purpose is to indicate communities that we help their self-determination and goal to be a long-term, dependable associate.
How do you construct and preserve robust relationships with the communities the place Sol Techniques’ initiatives are situated? What are the advantages of those partnerships in addressing challenges going through each the trade and these communities? What challenges have you ever encountered in fostering these partnerships, and the way have you ever overcome them?
Constructing robust relationships begins with understanding the group’s values and priorities. For instance, on a current journey to Kentucky, I met with group members and native authorities officers to study their group values—agricultural applications, training, and power combine to call a couple of. Slightly than imposing an agenda, we work with group contacts to determine and help initiatives that align with native values. These early connections are essential, and their influence endures past venture completion. Communities acknowledge that we listened to their wants and delivered on our commitments, which fosters belief and long-term collaboration. As soon as the venture is full, these early connections prevail.
We acknowledge there may be some opposition to renewable power initiatives in any group, notably when pushed by misinformation. As we construct partnerships and grow to be a trusted advisor locally, we wish to present them with the training wanted to counter the misinformation. Our position is to empower communities with info and construct lasting belief.
With financial considerations being high of thoughts for a lot of Individuals, are there any coverage adjustments or trade traits influencing your crew’s group engagement strategy? Do any of those provide you with confidence that genuine engagement can result in financial growth and land stewardship, addressing group considerations about utility-scale initiatives whereas making certain advantages for all and leaving no communities behind?
The power communities’ provision within the Inflation Discount Act (IRA) is an incredible alternative to maximise the venture impacts. For the reason that laws handed two years in the past, we now have labored to leverage its advantages in our communities. Understanding the intricacies of the IRA and fascinating in open dialogue with native officers permits us to maximise group advantages. On a current journey to Champaign, IL, the Financial Improvement Director, expressed curiosity in funding to construct out transmission within the state which might create new jobs and financial advantages for the group. Our Infrastructure + Impression strategy ensures that photo voltaic initiatives profit communities which are disproportionately affected by local weather change. This contains initiatives associated to the significance of diligent land stewardship, pollinator-friendly photo voltaic certifications, and analysis into the advantages of native perennial vegetation round photo voltaic venture websites. Not too long ago, Sol Techniques executed an settlement with American Farmland Belief (AFT) that focuses on Good Photo voltaicSM initiatives. Good Photo voltaicSM, an idea service created by AFT, outlines rules to attenuate the environmental impacts of photo voltaic developments whereas enhancing ecosystem-focused practices at photo voltaic websites. Over 2,000 acres of land from the initiatives that Sol Techniques will develop within the subsequent 4 years will take part in a analysis partnership with AFT to check soil well being and assess the influence of useful vegetation.
The mission of the IRA, the rising momentum within the renewable power sector and the curiosity in constructing deep group partnerships offers me confidence that whereas financial considerations stay high of thoughts and ought to be vital to many Individuals, we now have the instruments to construct a clear power economic system that works for everybody.
Whether or not it is Illinois or Louisiana or wherever else, we prioritize all these partnerships and wish to be sure that we return the land in one of the best situation attainable. The IRA, the renewable power sector’s momentum, and our dedication to deep group partnerships instill confidence that we are able to construct a clear power economic system that advantages everybody whereas addressing financial considerations.
Is there something vital we have not mentioned that you just’d prefer to share with us?
Reflecting on the trade since I joined in 2010, I’m regularly impressed by the fast evolution and development in group engagement practices. Over the previous decade, group engagement has grow to be a precedence with most growth corporations and seeing that evolution has been rewarding. We try to construct nice initiatives and robust relationships, which assist fight group opposition or navigate regulatory challenges.
We additionally goal to collaborate successfully with communities, making certain that our efforts are valued and that we respect and combine their values. At Sol, the emphasis on group engagement is clear in how our crew’s contributions are appreciated throughout the corporate. This affirmation of our work demonstrates Sol Techniques’ dedication to constructing significant relationships and figuring out pathways for progress.
