This article is next in the continuing summer op-ed series which asks leaders in the renewable energy and sustainability industries to speak about where we are today, and where we will be going tomorrow.
By: Kent Baake, Founder & CEO, Continuum Energy Solutions
As the government begins to implement the federal stimulus money, many are eagerly awaiting the foreseen boost to the clean energy industry. Before the industry can reach its full potential however, it is crucial to lay a foundation to guide its any growth—and this foundation starts with education. It is true that the energy industry will not flourish without proper incentive programs and outreach; however, education must be balanced with the other pursuits. If our local workforce and residents are not educated about the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable technology, then the incentives, outreach programs and attempts for growth will not be as successful as they could be. In order to ensure the success of the green industry, as well as the vital environmental and employment benefits that will accompany such success, businesses and consumers alike need to see that there are economic benefits is an economic benefit to becoming truly invested in the green movement. True investment is not possible without a comprehensive educational background.
Whether a company is by definition a green business or not, it will be essential in the coming months and years for businesses to commit to becoming efficient and aware of their environmental impact. With the influx of stimulus money, businesses are going to be eager to join the green movement, and those who join first will have a major advantage. As consumers become more environmentally aware, they are going to favor businesses that demonstrate similar environmental consciousness. The companies that begin the greening process early are those that will beat out the ever-expanding competition for customers’ attention and loyalty. Every commitment to energy efficiency will make a difference, whether it is for the smallest house or the largest store in town.
Getting into the Classroom
To establish a strong base for the renewable energy industry, a significant portion of the stimulus funds should be used to create and maintain a highly knowledgeable workforce. Although staff training has traditionally been time-consuming and expensive, companies that build an expert staff early on will have a major advantage over competitors. In addition, it is important to fund educational programs for green technology, such as classes at trade schools. As discussed in the recent Time magazine article entitled “Can Community Colleges Save the U.S. Economy?” America is finally realizing the potential of two-year education programs. While four-year institutions remain a cornerstone of our nation’s education standards, community colleges (especially in the coming years) will truly influence the future of the renewable energy industry. For example, this August the Austin Community College is launching “a compressed weekday program [for solar installation] - catering to the recently unemployed - [that] will allow students to cram the same courses into just two months.” A surge in community college/trade school attendance, coupled with the shorter training times, will truly have a positive impact on the growth of green energy industry and help support the response to the industries’ incentive programs.
Another important step in the education process is to ensure that up and coming professionals have onsite training experience. Just as we need to support our classrooms, it is vital for clean energy companies to open their doors for onsite training. Job site training not only supplements classroom experience, but it also provides an opportunity to learn necessary industry knowledge that can not be captured in books. Investing in this type of education will produce young, knowledgeable workers at a pace that will keep up with the growing markets. Strong specialists, coupled with incentive and outreach planning, will be the key to boosting the clean energy sector.
As the clean energy industry grows, energy efficiency companies need to focus on becoming fully invested in customer education. Instead of simply installing a solar system and stopping there, our local companies need to take responsibility for their customers and help the homeowner or business incorporate such solar systems into efficiency upgrades. In addition, it is important to explain to customers that greening their home or business is a process that often starts with small changes and eventually grows to long-term investments, such as solar installations. The reasoning behind this holistic approach is that educating customers can turn them into clients for life. If customers truly understand their energy consumption and learn where and why energy is being wasted, they will be able to make their own informed decisions about their energy use. This empowers them to develop an energy efficient, sustainable lifestyle that goes beyond the upgrades and the daily routine—a goal that should be at the core of our industry as a whole. When customers are educated and make a commitment to a green lifestyle, they are motivated to spread the green movement via word-of-mouth, which can be one of the most effective marketing techniques for a business.
Education at Work
Educating customers depends on one’s particular business, but it can be much easier than it appears. Take the service of energy audits, for example. The key to educating a customer while providing an energy audit is taking the time and effort to explain the cause and effect relationship between one’s lifestyle and one’s energy use. In-home consultations are always the best way to capture this understanding and will serve the provider with the opportunity to really connect with the customer and teach them about their energy use. Investing the time in a consultation with your customer and educating them will have a serious impact on their future green decisions.
In addition to educating their individual customers, business owners should also dedicate time to educating the general public. Holding a public forum, for example, can lead to a helpful exchange of ideas between consumers and businesses, which are important for industry feedback and growth. Public events are also great opportunities to explain the governmental incentive programs for energy efficiency, which will be a significant factor in boosting the clean energy industry. There is currently a rebate-per-watt program in place in Maryland and Washington, DC that refunds homeowners and businesses a certain amount of money based on how large their energy-efficient systems are. Virginia has proposed a similar program with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, under which the state submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Energy. Virginia’s plan was approved and the $70 million will be divided into several programs, with roughly half of the funds being used to stimulate purchases of renewable energy systems.
Although renewable energy systems are well worth the investment because they lower energy costs, have a reasonable ROI period (depending on the system), and help the environmental incentive programs make them an even more viable and desirable investment. These incentive programs are another major reason why a reasonable portion of the stimulus money needs to be put towards education and onsite training— both home and business owners need to be more informed about the benefits of renewable energy.
Doing Our Part
As industry leaders, it’s time to do our part to support green professional education. Whether it’s speaking out about funding allocations, or getting into the classroom ourselves, we need to make sure that through our support and guidance of green education, we as a business community are taking full advantage of this historic opportunity for positive change in the energy usage of our nation.
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