Activity 3.2.3.1 Solar Power and Energy Policy

 

1. Exploratory

Probe basic facts and knowledge found in the reading and video.

The solar farm that is built in Gorgia is helping the community. The county that are building these solar farms are getting much needed tax revenue. They expect 8 million dollars of tax revenue to flow into the county and of the 8 million 5 million will go to the school system. Silicon ranch will also set up scholarships for people that want to learn about the industry.

2. Diagnostic

Probe motives or causes.

 Walton EMC which is the company that supplies electricity to the county relied on coal for half of their energy production in 2010. Now natural gas is the majority with  renewable only making less than 1% of the energy but since the opening of the farm should increase to 15% to 20%. The American Southwest has large amount of land available and sunshine to entice solar farms to be built. People in this region do not care about climate change but just want cheaper electricity.

3. Cause and Effect

Causal relationships between ideas, actions, or events.

Because the tariffs on imported solar panels were implemented a factory had to be built to provide solar panels for U.S projects. This factory made it easier for solar projects to be built faster and cheaper because they do not have to wait for the panels to be assembled in Korea. "Now we can source more and more of the different parts that go into this construction locally — either from within the state or surrounding states.” (Hsu) Not only did this solar farm provide jobs in the community but is also educating them by providing scholarships and information on solar energy. The land that these farms are on can be reused because solar energy has little contamination in the area.

4. Priority

Seek to identify the most important issue.

The solar industry has many benefits for the community and the environment but all it needs is a chance to show what it can provide. The solar industry in this region navigated through the obstacles to show its value. Some of these obstacles include supply sourcing people ideas of the solar industry and effects on the environment.

5. Application

Probe for relationships and connect theory to practice.

The theory is that if we can provide cheaper energy that is safer to the community then we can change people’s views. In the passage the farmer stated he does not care where the energy comes from just as long as it’s cheap. “He couldn't care less,” he says, laughing: "I want it the cheapest.”. (Hsu) With the partnership of the solar industry and the farmers we are learning how to improve not only the air but the ground around the solar farm. “Harris is also the rare farmer in the area who believes agriculture, solar and sustainability can go hand in hand. For the past two decades, Harris has been practicing regenerative land management on his farm, White Oak Pastures, which has been in his family since 1866.” (Hsu)

6. Critical

Analyze how this challenges your thinking/assumptions.

This challenges the thought that communities will always be stuck in one way of life. With the way the world is improving in technology communities need to change the way of thinking or they will be forever behind

Hsu, A., & Kelly, M. L. (2019, June 24). How solar grew in Georgia despite lack of mandates on renewable energy. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/2019/06/24/733795962/how-georgia-became-a-surprising-bright-spot-in-the-u-s-solar-industry