Solar Austin is a non-profit organization working to accelerate the transition to clean renewable energy, building healthy communities, strong economies, and energy independence.
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Wednesday, May 9, 2012 - SOLAR AUSTIN HAPPY HOUR
SPIDERHOUSE (29th & Guadalupe, in the “chapel” on the back patio)
Happy Hour @ 5:30 PM, Panel Discussion @ 6:30 PM
Cris Eugster, CPS Energy, Exec VP & Chief Sustainability Officer
Laurence Doxsey, City of San Antonio, Director of Environmental Policy (former Sustainability Officer for City of Austin)
Lanny Sinkin, Solar San Antonio, Executive Director
MODERATOR: Mike Sloan, Virtus Energy
San Antonio has been on quite a roll: CPS Energy rated #1 municipal utility in U.S. for solar installations 2010; 500% growth in rooftop solar 2011; 400 MW solar purchase creating at least 800 local manufacturing jobs announced 2012. Come hear from top experts the What, Why & How of San Antonio’s surging solar success.
For further information on our speakers: link And we ask you the favor of an RSVP (Eventbrite).
Brought to you by: The Butler Firm and Spider House
The Solar Industry Hosts Mayoral and City Council Candidate Forum
Defining candidate expectations of Austin’s energy future, of industrial and job development, and other issues of importance!
Why: The solar industry is close to an inflection point where businesses and outside investors are choosing where to invest and create jobs. The candidate forum will give Austin voters and local businesses an opportunity to hear directly from mayoral and city council candidates on their views and plans for the solar industry; providing low-cost clean energy, jobs and economic development to our community.
What: Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Mayoral Candidate Brigid Shea and City Council candidates for Place 2, Place 5 and Place 6 will participate. Candidates will be given equal opportunity to respond to questions on economic development, energy and jobs issues related to solar. The vision of these candidates will greatly impact the future design of Austin Energy and Austin’s economic growth, industrial development and the preservation of the city’s environment, all key factors in a thriving green city.
When: Tuesday, April 17th 2012
- Doors open at 5:30 p.m. while the event begins at 6 p.m. prompt.
- The mayoral candidate panel will be from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m.
- The city council panels will begin at 7 p.m. and continue through 8:30 p.m.
Where: Ventana Del Soul at 1834 E. Oltorf Street, Austin, TX 78741 (2nd Floor) (map)
Overflow parking is available at the church on Parker Lane located behind the event center. Ventana Del Soul is a training and event center with coffee shop and café that provides training and vocational mentoring to disadvantaged, disabled or underemployed persons and other members of the Austin community helping them in their quest for a higher quality of life.
Who: Solar Austin, Solar Austin Foundation and local solar businesses sponsor this event. This consortium of solar advocates are collaborating with Austin Energy, the Chamber of Commerce and City Council to increase clean, affordable, waterproof electricity and grow a vibrant solar industry that generates income and jobs for the Austin community.
For more information on the candidates: http://www.austintexas.gov/vote
RSVP: http://solaraustincandidateforum.eventbrite.com/
Please Join Us on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
A discussion on how Austin can accelerate utilization of local solar power to achieve 300 MW by 2020, what will be needed to do it, and why it will be cheaper, cleaner and better for the local economy than Austin owning power plants that burn imported fossil fuel.
Join us for a conversation with:
- Karl Rabago, Austin Energy, VP Distributed Energy Services
- Tuan Q. Pham, PowerFin Partners, President
- Mark Begert, Meridian Energy, Exec. VP
- Stan Pipkin, Lighthouse Solar, Managing Director
Where: 29th Street Ballroom @ SpiderHouse (2906 Fruth Street, Austin, TX 78705)
When: Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012 | Happy Hour – 5:30 pm, Panel Discussion – 6:30 pm
Please RSVP with Eventbrite
Solar Austin Happy Hour - Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Speaking at this event:
- Larry Weis, Austin Energy, GM
- Brewster McCracken, Pecan Street Inc., Exec. Dir.
- Mike Sloan, Virtus Energy, President
Clay Butler, The Butler Firm (moderator)
A discussion featuring Austin Energy’s newest efforts to stimulate solar power, aided by the advanced knowledge gained from the Pecan Street Project, in partnership with the local solar industry.
29th STREET BALLROOM @ SPIDERHOUSE
Happy Hour @ 5:30 PM
Panel Discussion @ 6:30 PM
Please RSVP here: http://valueofsolarinaustin.eventbrite.com/
Brought to you by:
WE ARE BACK!
(In some cases having fled the summer sun…too much of a good thing! Let’s put that resource to work.)
Come join Solar Austin for an engaging event with RB Sloan, Pedernales Electric Coop CEO and Mark Rose, Bluebonnet Electric Coop CEO. We are very fortunate & honored that these two community leaders are willing to speak to us and answer questions about their respective utilities’ plans for the future.
The discussion will focus on the directions for Distributed Generation and Energy Efficiency programs, but all topics are open for questions and as with past events we foresee a diverse & vibrant audience!
Our Speakers:
 RB Sloan, CEO of Pedernales Electric Coop  Mark Rose, CEO of Bluebonnet Electric Coop
When: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2011
5:30-6:30pm Mixer, 6:30-7:30pm Speakers
Where: 29th Street Ballroom – Near the Spider House Café (2908 Fruth Street, Austin, TX) map link
This event is free and open to the public.
RB Sloan Bio at Pedernales Electric Coop Website Mark Rose Bio at Bluebonnet Electric Coop Website
At our next Solar Austin Happy Hour features City Council incumbent Randi Shade and candidate Kathie Tovo discussing Energy and the Future of Austin.
Date: Wednesday, June 15
Time: 5pm mixer, 6:30pm-8pm panel
Location: Spider House, 2906 Fruth Street, Austin, TX 78705
RSVP at http://shadetovo.eventbrite.com/
 Kathie Tovo Kathie Tovo is a 19-year resident of Austin, former Planning Commissioner and Austin Neighboorhoods Council Vice President. She has earned the endorsements of respected organizations like the Austin Sierra Club and the Austin Chronicle. Kathie supports the goals of the Generation Plan and believes continuing to move toward a renewable future is one of the most important tasks before our nation and community.
 Randi Shade Randi Shade was elected to our City Council in 2008, and has lived in Austin for over two decades. Prior to Council, she attended UT, served as student body president, received an MBA from Harvard University, launched and ran AmeriCorps under Governor Ann Richards, started an Internet company, and served as Executive Director of the Austin Entrepreneurs Foundation. Randi and her partner Kayla live in Clarksville with their two young children.
Sponsored by:
 A Technology & Renewables Law Firm
If you live in or around Austin and want to buy green power, become more energy efficient, do rooftop solar, or charge your EV pollution free….
You need to attend our next Solar Happy Hour.
Solar Austin is pleased to welcome leaders from Austin Energy (which serves most of Austin) & Green Mountain Energy (which serves many “competitive market” areas surrounding Austin, across Texas and elsewhere in the U.S) to share what programs are currently available to their respective customers.
Hope you can join us next Wednesday at Malverde.
| Talk: |
Green Options for Greater Austin |
| Time: |
May 25, 5:00 PM Mixer, 6:30 8:00 PM Panel Discussion |
| Location: |
Malverde (400 W. 2nd, across from City Hall) |
Speakers:
 Karl Rabago and Jason Sears Karl Rabago, Austin Energy, VP Distributed Energy Services
AND
Jason Sears, Green Mountain Energy, Senior Manager of Product Management and Strategy
Moderator: Mike Sloan, Virtus Energy
RSVP: http://austingreenoptions.eventbrite.com/
ABOUT OUR PANELISTS:
Karl R. Rábago, Austin Energy
Karl R. Rábago leads AE’s energy efficiency, green building, market research, key accounts, and advanced transportation groups and is AE’s executive sponsor to the Pecan Street Project. Karl has had a stellar career in electric policy, clean tech & sustainability including: Texas PUC Commissioner, Deputy Asst. Secretary at U.S. DOE, Managing Director at Rocky Mountain Institute, & a creator and chairman for the “Green-e” certification program. Karl’s academic & military resume includes: Aggie (BBA), Longhorn (JD), post-doc degrees in environmental & military law. Univ. of Houston & West Point Law Professor. Tank commander. JAG Corps. Airborne. Ranger…. yet also known to fashion accessorize with Gecko lapel pins & quote Dr. Seuss.
Jason Sears, Green Mountain Energy Company
Jason Sears is the Senior Manager of Product Management and Strategy at Green Mountain Energy Company, the nation’s leading retail electricity provider of cleaner, renewable energy and carbon offsets. Prior to joining Green Mountain, Jason managed product marketing and management for First American Spatial Services Company, an Austin-based GIS solutions start-up that serves the energy and finance industries. Jason also sits on the Mueller Residents Council for the Pecan Street Project.
As you might imagine, events in Japan and NRG’s announced scaleback of efforts to increase generation capacity at the South Texas Project nuclear station have had an impact on our planned presentation on Major Generation Options for Austin and the speaker line up. However a discussion of generation options is always timely as new events and new developments change our available options.
We are fortunate to have two speakers who can address most energy topics with authority:
 Chris Strand, Heather Otten, Dr. Michael Webber Chris Strand, Energy Efficiency Expert / Founder of Strand Brothers
Heather Otten, VP of Development, Invenergy / President, The Wind Coalition
Dr. Michael Webber, Univ. Of Texas at Austin / Electric Utility Commission / Pecan Street
MODERATOR: Mike Sloan, Virtus Energy
ABOUT OUR PANELISTS:
Chris Strand founded in 1978 Strand Brothers, an Austin-based residential and small commercial HVAC contractor and one of the largest Building Performance contractors in the nation. Chris Strand was instrumental in the creation and development of Austin Energy’s incentive programs for energy efficiency and served on the Zero Energy Home Capable task force and the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure task force. Chris Strand left Strand Brothers earlier this year to pursue other opportunities.
Heather Otten has been active in the wind industry for almost eleven years and during that time has helped bring over 1,400 megawatts of wind energy projects online in Texas and New Mexico. Heather currently manages Invenergy’s development portfolio in excess of 3,000 megawatts in ERCOT and SPP. She also directs the company’s participation in statewide policy initiatives and serves as the President for the Wind Coalition (www.windcoalition.org <http://www.windcoalition.org/>).
Michael Webber is Associate Director of the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy, Co-Director of the Clean Energy Incubator, and Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas. He is on the Board of Advisors of Scientific American and has authored more than 125 articles, columns, and book chapters. He is an active speaker, including testimony for U.S. Senate and the United Nations. Michael holds four patents and is an originator of the Pecan Street Project, a multi-institutional public-private partnership in Austin to create the smart electricity and water utilities of the future.
Please join us for a lively discussion of what the future of energy in TX might look like.
Time: April 13 (Wed), 5:00 PM Mixer, 6:30 to 8:00 PM Panel Discussion
Location: Malverde, 400 W. 2nd Street
Parking: Best options are likely the City of Austin garage (free if you visit your city council member and invite them to the event too…and have your parking validated) or metered street parking.
Solar Austin HH (note venue change)
Electric rates in Austin are going up next year… Curious to know how the City will decide how much? Solar Austin is pleased to announce its Solar Happy Hour for March 9 featuring an exceptional group of experts:
Chris Riley Austin City Council Member — perspective from body that must approve any rate increase
Larry Weis Austin Energy General Manager — leading effort to update the utility’s rate structure
Angelos Angelou Angelou Economics — brings perspective on local community impacts
Alan Holman Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell — lawyer involved in Austin’s most “recent” electric rate cases, 1985-1994
Where: Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto, in the interior meeting room http://www.scholzgarten.net/
When: March 9, 5:00pm – mixer, 6:30pm – panel discussion
Register
Register at EventBrite or use the form below.
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