Education

At ReVision, we believe a just and equitable future is possible, and part of that work involves advocacy efforts on issues of racial and social justice. As a Maine-based company, we are aware that the place we live and work on is indigenous unceded land taken from the Wabanaki and Abenaki people. We also know that Maine is the only state in the country that does not recognize tribal sovereignty for its indigenous people, meaning they cannot access the benefits provided by federal laws that support Tribal Nations and communities. Since 1980 there have been over 150 federal laws passed that have not applied to the Wabanaki because of this, covering everything from environmental protection to health care to disaster response.  

We cannot achieve the just and equitable future in our mission statement without Wabanaki tribal sovereignty.
 

In 2022 we became one of the first businesses to join the Businesses for Wabanaki Sovereignty – a coalition of businesses around the state dedicated to supporting and advocating for Tribal Sovereignty. On January 24, this branch of the Wabanaki Alliance officially launched, with over 150 people gathered at an event at Patagonia Freeport, hosted by Maine B Corps and 1% For the Planet. Maulian Bryant, Penobscot Nation Ambassador, and Richard Silliboy, Vice Chief of the Mi’kmaq Nation, explained what tribal sovereignty means to them and what they’re looking forward to in the coming years.  

“It’s been an uphill battle trying to get treaty rights, and the rights that other tribes across the nation have,” said Silliboy, “This is not a short battle, it’s been going on for years.” The lack of federal recognition, Silliboy said, has prevented the Wabanaki nations – the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Mi’kmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, and Penobscot Nation – from experiencing the economic growth that has reached other tribes around the country.  

“We grew up in poverty and we lived in poverty most of our lives,” Silliboy said of his experience, “and we see racism. People say there isn’t racism in Maine, but when you live it, you see it.” Still, Silliboy and Bryant are optimistic about the future, in terms of economic growth, social equality, and tribal sovereignty.  

“Support from the public is such a big thing,” explains Bryant, “We’re in a moment when people care what we have to say. We want to make things better – for not just our people, but all people. Our issues are everybody’s issues in Maine. When we do better, we bring everyone in the state along with us.”  

“This is something we’ll keep fighting for,” Silliboy said in his characteristically quiet, steady tone, “and I’m sure that eventually the tribes will win and we’ll get the benefits that we need, the benefits that other tribes have across the nation.” 

Business as a Force for Good

It’s critical that more businesses join the alliance, to show Maine state government and the Maine public that a wide range of people, organizations, and corporations support this issue and want rights restored to our Wabanaki neighbors. It also makes a difference internally, as businesses listen to their employees’ voices and prove that business really can be a force for positive social change.  

“I am grateful to work for a company that not only encourages us to bring our values to work, but is willing and committed to putting time, energy, and resources towards putting these values into action. For better or for worse, businesses have a lot of power in our society to make change. I am very proud to be a part of ReVision and their commitment to using their power to support the Wabanaki Alliance. Our mission includes creating a just and equitable electric future, and supporting equity for the Wabanaki people is a deeply important step in reaching that. I’m beyond happy to work for a place that encourages me to get my advocacy hat back on. I feel like the system of capitalism doesn’t give us much time to pursue advocacy and change, and ReVision is putting work into giving employee-owners the support to create a better world.” —Annalise K., ReVision Energy  

“This land, upon which we build our lives, is unceded land and it’s imperative that the larger community come together and restore tribal sovereignty. As an individual stewarding a business dedicated to positive social and environmental impact, I believe that businesses have a responsibility to lend their collective voice towards reconciliation, peace, and justice.” —Suzi P, Redbird Media 

“It is so important for those who have a voice to support those who do not. For ReVision Energy to work as a part of the Businesses for Wabanaki Sovereignty means they and any other businesses that do, are providing a much stronger voice to Maine’s Indigenous people. Maine’s Native American tribes deserve the right to tribal sovereignty, become federally recognized tribes and have a means to support their people economically. I am proud to work for a company that understands their role in helping to make that happen.” -Judy N., ReVision Energy  

Join the Wabanaki Alliance

We’re proud of our involvement in the Businesses for Wabanaki Sovereignty. If you are an employee or owner of a Maine-based business and have any questions about the group, please reach out to us at hello@revisionenergy.com  

As Tara Jenkins, panel moderator and founder of Conscious Revolution, stated at the event: “It’s kind of a no-brainer.” A good future for Maine must include Wabanaki sovereignty and we’re proud to be working alongside the Wabanaki Alliance to make that future a reality. 

As a mission-driven company, we’re always looking for ways to be more sustainable. To fight the climate crisis, we need to lower our individual carbon footprints as well as reduce local, national, and global dependence on fossil fuels. The winter holidays often drive waste and excess, so we asked ReVision employee-owners for their own tips on how to make this time of year festive, fun, and sustainable.  

Get creative with wrapping “paper.”

An estimated 2.3 million pounds of wrapping paper ends up in landfill every year. To reduce this environmental impact, instead of using traditional gift wrap, try recycling old newspapers or paper shopping bags. If you want to get even craftier, you can sew holiday bags out of fabric (which is also a great way to recycle clothes you haven’t worn in some time or are too damaged to wear). 

“I have sewn gift bags with scrap fabrics since my kids were little. Now that they are older it requires that I confiscate the bags back after they open their presents, but it works well as they know the drill. For other family members, they love keeping the bags and reusing them or using them to wrap gifts of their own the following year.” -Judy N., engineering

“If you’ve got a person handy with a sewing machine in your family, my mother-in-law made a bunch of differently sized cloth bags with ribbon drawstrings that we’ve used in lieu of wrapping paper for the last number of years. Plus it makes wrapping a lot easier.” -Andy B., engineering

Sustainably source (and retire) your tree.

A staggering 90% of fake plastic holiday trees are produced and shipped from overseas, leaving huge carbon footprints in their wake. Buying a local, sustainably cut tree has a much smaller footprint than that of an artificial tree. Additionally, when it’s ultimately time to take holiday decorations down, many local farms will repurpose natural trees to feed to their animals, helping to reduce tree waste and support local farm health at the same time.

“We get our tree from a local farm, most recently from Celebration Tree Farm in Durham, ME (they also have a ReVision solar array there!). They ask that when you cut a tree you leave 3-4 feet at the bottom so that a new tree can grow from it (this practice is called “coppicing”). After Christmas we try to take our tree to a goat farm so they can eat it.” -Allison B., development

“My kids have never known a Christmas that we didn’t tromp out deep into the Two Echo woods and find a tree, cut it down, and drag it back to the house. They are often ‘Charlie Brown’ trees and I’ve gotten really good at adding branches to the many bare spots, over the years. And after Christmas they go either to the Two Echo goats or to Scattergood Farm / Growing To Give farm’s goats. (Growing To Give grows organic veggies for Soup Kitchens and Food Pantries using local volunteers donating their labor.)” -Chris B., thermal

“We have been utilizing our large fiddle leaf fig house plant as our Christmas tree for the past two years.” -Tess J., engineering

Choose energy-efficient lights.

Decorating with LED bulbs in lieu of incandescent bulbs is better for the environment because they require less energy to run. You can even go one step further and have these lights be solar powered. Not only is using renewable energy better for the environment, but it is also kinder on your wallet – we’ve found that powering holiday lights with solar is about 53% cheaper than powering them with traditional energy sources.

“We use solar LED lights on our outside trees and walkway.” -Brie O., workforce development

Give experiences instead of products.

Experiential gifts like a paint night, cooking class, sledding trip, concert, and more decrease the number of goods people own – and ultimately the carbon footprint that these goods hold. Alternatively, you can give to a local charity on behalf of a friend or family member to have a similar impact while helping a great cause.

“Instead of exchanging gifts with my in-laws, we opt for a different approach: we divide into teams of two and organize various events throughout the holiday week when we’re all together. For instance, my sister-in-law and I are teaching a baking class, while my husband and his brother are hosting a murder mystery night. This encourages us to spend more present time together (and spend less money!!)” –Emma H., EV charging

“A day trip to NH including a picnic lunch and a natural history boat tour of Squam Lake. A baking class for family. A picnic and concert. Christmas day can revolve around doing puzzles together, walks in the woods, and playing games. ” – Beth M., development

“We use the “something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read” as the guideline for how many gifts and what type. (And a book Christmas Eve.)” -Caitlin B., marketing

Shop at local small businesses.

About 65% of small business revenue comes from the holiday period, making this a vital time of year for these shops. Shopping at local small businesses reduces the carbon footprint because goods don’t have to travel as far. It also stimulates the local economy and invests in the community so that it can continue to benefit from small businesses.

“For the adults, we gave up on presents outside of immediate family members and moved to a Yankee Swap book swap a number of years ago. Each person wraps a book they have read during the year and puts it in a big wooden bowl.  There are usually ~10 of us. We go around Yankee Swap-style and pick out books, and trade (according to whatever rules your family plays by). It results in learning about all sorts of great books to read and interesting conversation… and a “new” book!” –Anna F., commercial operations

Buy food from local farms.

Much like shopping from local small businesses, buying food from local farms is much better for the environment and local economy. About 78% of farms sell their food within a 100-mile radius, keeping food fresher and carbon footprints smaller.

“Source holiday food from local farms. Give a gift of homemade granola, or a homemade mix for pancakes or muffins.” -Beth M., development

Say goodbye to single-use dinnerware.

Using paper or plastic plates, cups, and silverware at holiday gatherings may make for a quicker clean up, but they also create waste that using reusable dinnerware does not. When it does become time to clean up, ensure that you only run your dishwasher when it’s full to save water and electricity, and consider letting dishes air-dry to further cut your dishwasher’s energy usage.

Need a new holiday tradition? Try volunteering.

We know the holidays are all about giving – so why not give back to your community? Whether you volunteer at a food bank, clean up litter in your neighborhood, or collect goods for local charities, there are many ways to give back, and a lot of organizations looking for this type of support during the holidays.

“On Christmas, after my kids open gifts and have breakfast, we all go for a hike or a walk in our area and do a little clean up picking up litter along the road or at the beach. It’s a little thing but we love the tradition.” –Bridget S., marketing 

“On one side of my family, we gift to each other’s favorite charity.” -Steve H., legal

Tinsel = taboo.

Tinsel is often made of fossil-fuel-based plastic, like PVC, and is not recyclable. It also takes about 450 years for a single strand of tinsel to decompose in a landfill. There are many ways to get creative and make a tinsel alternative – recycled paper or dried fruit garlands are some of our favorites!

October holds an important place on the calendar of national events: LGBTQ+ History Month, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and gearing up for election day on November 7th.  

Vote for Justice 

In 2020 ReVision launched our Vote for Justice campaign, to empower and educate voters on climate justice issues and make it easier for people to vote. We’re constantly updating our webpages so you can find state-by-state breakdowns of voter registration links, absentee ballots, and other resources.  

In Maine we’re supporting a Yes vote on referendum Question 6 to print the full Maine Constitution and support the Wabanaki Alliance. The state’s treaty obligations to the Wabanaki Nations are currently left out of the printed Constitution; this would ensure transparency and accuracy in the relationship between the Wabanaki and the State of Maine.  

Staff Picks:  

There are a lot of good resources out there around Indigenous Rights and LGBTQ+ history, so we asked ReVision employee-owners what they’d recommend. From books to podcasts to TV shows and movies, here are some Staff Recs for October.

This Land

(podcast)

“This Land is an incredible podcast for education/learning about indigenous history and policy.” -Lindsay B., Policy and Government Affairs

“Rebecca Nagle’s This Land podcast looks at Indigenous history and rights through the lens of two recent landmark Supreme Court cases. Season one addresses Indigenous land rights by examining the 2020 McGirt v. Oklahoma decision and the second season outlines how the far right is using Native children to quietly dismantle American Indian tribes and advance a conservative agenda in the 2023 Haaland v Brackeen decision. Both seasons are incredibly intriguing listens.” -Stacy B., Climate Educator  

Sunlight Media Collective

(media library)

“This organization documents and presents stories affecting Wabanaki people and highlights the Wabanaki perspective. These stories are at the intersection of environmental justice and Tribal sovereignty.” -Anna F., Commercial Operations

Braiding Sweetgrass 

(book)

“A non-linear journey through the natural world. Weaving Indigenous wisdom, mythology, and modern science into the tale of our relationship as humans in this vast, resilient, and beautiful world.” -Andrew H., Solar Design

TransMilitary 

(documentary)

“As prior service, TransMilitary was something I really wanted to see and I was not disappointed. I think it would be hard enough to be LGBTQ in the real world but to be LGBTQ in a world that is led by misogyny, xenophobia, bigotry, and ethnocentrism, and at the same time be a leader trying to change the world for future LGBTQ people. It’s inspiring to see such strength against odds that would make many walk away.” – Judy N., Engineering

A League of Their Own

(mini-series)

“Abbi Jacobson’s fun and heartwarming adaptation of the classic movie really lifts up the experience of women and queer people in the 1940s.” – Jill M., Marketing 

Bottoms

(movie)

“This stars Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott, Kaia Gerber, Marshawn Lynch, and Ruby Cruz to name a few! Bottoms is hilarious, original and shows a bright future for films based on the queer experience. Bottoms will leave you walking out of the theater laughing at its ridiculousness but in the best way! It’s the classic feel of the American High School coming-of-age experience but with a more modern twist that is not afraid to make fun of itself!” -Vanessa B., Operations

Can Everyone Please Calm Down: A Guide to 21st Century Sexuality (book)

“Written by comedian Mae Martin. It’s kind of an anti-guide guide to defining sexuality and how everyone can just like, chill out a bit about it all because it’s beautiful and not at all scary.” -Joel A., Sustainability 

On May 19th, ReVision Energy celebrated the first cohort to graduate from our pre-apprenticeship program, launched this spring in conjunction with Portland Adult Education (PAE), a leading provider of adult educational programs and workforce development initiatives. The Renewable Energy Careers: Introduction to Solar Installation and Heat Pumps Program is a pre-apprenticeship program, developed in partnership with PAE and Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS). The 9 week course prepares multilingual adults to enter (or re-enter) the field of renewable energy as a viable and sustainable career path.

As the global shift toward clean, sustainable energy accelerates, the demand for skilled professionals in the renewable energy industry is rapidly increasing. The new program addresses this demand by connecting immigrants, refugees, and other New Mainers with comprehensive training and classroom instruction in solar installation and heat pump technology. Many of the New Mainers in the program come from a background in engineering and other fields closely related to clean energy solutions.

The program was co-taught by PATHS and PAE teachers, as well as industry experts from ReVision Energy. PATHS provided the space to learn through hands-on instruction and simulated projects. Other employer partners included Evergreen Home Performance, Maine Solar Solutions, and Royal River Heat Pumps.

“PAE is proud to collaborate with ReVision and PATHS to deliver this unique program,” said Abbie Yamamoto, Executive Director of Portland Adult Education. “Our inaugural cohort consisted of 15 talented professionals representing diverse cultural, linguistic and professional backgrounds. Over the course of nine weeks, participants learned new skills to forge their career pathways and to establish valuable connections within the industry. It is exciting to see some of them re-enter their fields or related ones, and for some, starting their journey in a new career.”

Before coming to Maine in 2022, Manuela Kayembe studied civil engineering in her native Democratic Republic of the Congo. Her interest in sustainable energy solutions led her to PAE, where she enrolled in the program’s first cohort.

She said, “Being part of the very first Renewable Energy Careers program was an exciting and rewarding experience. Being at the forefront of this program allowed me to learn about solar installation, energy efficiency, and the latest industry advancements. It also allowed me to meet with incredible people from engineering backgrounds and also meet and interact with many of Maine’s solar energy employers.” Manuela added, “My goal for the future is to make a meaningful impact in promoting clean energy and creating a more sustainable future.

Vaughan Woodruff, VP of Workforce Development at ReVision Energy, spoke about the need for states like Maine to develop a robust workforce that will design, build, and maintain clean energy technologies. To develop this workforce, we need to support individuals with a variety of backgrounds and experiences who can adapt their expertise to work with technologies such as solar and heat pumps.

Vaughan said, “We are thrilled with the opportunity to partner with Portland Adult Education to streamline pathways into renewable energy careers for new Mainers who bring a wealth of professional experience to our state and who will be instrumental in Maine’s effort to build the clean energy solutions needed to achieve our climate goals.”

ReVision and PAE are now working to help every graduate find a job in the local clean energy space. Congratulations Graduates!

PAE’s Renewal Energy Careers: Introduction to Solar Installation and Heat Pumps Program is a pre-apprenticeship program made possible thanks to funders including the Maine Department of Labor and the City of Portland. PAE anticipates another cohort in October 2023.

As part of our 20th Anniversary celebrations, we’ll be showcasing a different ReVision team every month. We’ll look at how the team and its roles have changed over the past two decades, and glance ahead at what the future might hold.

Looking Back & Looking Ahead: Commercial Solar Operations

The Commercial Operations team works within a few focus areas, collaborating closely to build solar projects, both on and off-site, for businesses, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations. After our wonderful sales team works with customers to identify their clean energy goals, the Engineering, Design, and Estimating team takes the location and designs an efficient and cost-effective project to achieve those goals. The Development team helps make it possible with utility interconnection, and permitting at the local, state, and federal levels. The projects then get handed off to the Construction team, made up of project manager and site superintendents, who manage the actual day-to-day building of the projects, working closely with our valued subcontractors. 

Solar Hot Water on top of Scratch Baking Co., an early commercial solar customer. ReVision has always done commercial work, even back in the early days of 2003 when we were installing solar hot water systems. Photovoltaic (PV) solar technology at the time was so expensive that it only made sense for a small subset of residences, but as the price of PV came down around 2008, we recognized an opportunity to bring PV solar to our commercial customers. 

James Hasselbeck, now our Chief Operating Officer, joined ReVision in 2012. At this time, our Operations team (which was also our sales team, design team, and office staff) installed primarily 10-50 kilowatt systems for small businesses. We slowly increased our system sizes and began to subcontract a portion of them in 2015. The technology was still relatively new.

“We were working with well-established electrical contractors,” James explained, “but most of them didn’t know how to build solar because it hadn’t been a market opportunity. So we established a mutually beneficial relationship with our subcontractors; we taught them about solar and they taught us efficient electrical work.” We still maintain and value these relationships today. 

Large-Scale Solar Launches in Durham

The first large project that we fully subcontracted and ran from start to finish was a 651-kilowatt array for the Town of Durham, NH, built on an abandoned gravel pit. At the time it was the largest in New Hampshire.

“The Durham gravel pit array is really where we learned development and engineering for large solar projects,” said James. “We learned how to do the full project – project management, site supervision, design, procurement, engineering – with multiple subcontractors.”  

Only four years later we installed a 3.7 megawatt project for the Shaw Brothers in Buxton, Maine, on a 15 acre gravel pit. Although we were able to use many of the skills developed in Durham, the larger project and updated solar policies brought new elements to learn, including the intricacies of sitework and largescale interconnection work with utilities.  

“It was both very exciting and really hard to be first,” said James. “There wasn’t a rule book we could follow, or a checklist.” In addition to correctly installing and connecting these large projects, we also had to figure out how to maintain them and keep them operating over their 30+ year life span. ReVision handles projects from original site procurement through the Operating & Maintenance (O&M) agreements. O&M of these large-scale projects is very different than a typical residential home, so our team has scaled up to support quality-control inspections, monitor projects remotely, and run regular physical inspections.   

What does the future hold?  

Anna Fincke explores the South Portland landfill project on her first day at ReVision. We’ll continue to expand our Commercial Operations team to be able to meet the demands of the future. Vice President of Commercial Operations Anna Fincke has only been leading the team for a year but already has a sense of what’s to come in the transition to clean energy for businesses and municipalities. 

Solar + Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging and Battery Storage

“Right now, most of what we do is solar,” Anna explains. “In 5 years, I would expect that Electric Vehicle charging (both DC Fast Charging and dedicated charging for fleets, municipal, school buses) will be a bigger portion of what we do. We’d love to see EV chargers at every gas station! There’s been consistent growth over the last few years but it’s really taking off now as there are more EVs on the road and  more funding at local, state, and federal levels.”  

We will also see an increase in EV charging and battery storage systems that are coupled directly with solar.  

“I can imagine a future where pretty much every commercial solar project has storage associated with it,” says Anna. “Solar plus storage helps business owners reduce their peak demand charges, often a large component of commercial utility bills, because they can store energy and release it during peak demand times.”

Domestic Production of Solar Components

With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act we’re expecting to see a real shift in the supplier landscape with increased domestic production of solar panels. This is beneficial for a variety of reasons: domestic production reduces transportation costs (both financially and in carbon emissions), brings jobs to the U.S., and gives us more control over humane practices and manufacturing techniques. With increased production, technology costs should come down as well, making solar even more accessible and attractive.  

As the solar technology improves, we’re able to fit more solar production in the same space, on smaller roofs or parcels of land. “Just a few years ago we were working with 375-watt panels,” says James, “and this year we’re installing 580-watt panels.” The rapid progression of commercial solar technology is part of what makes this industry so exciting. Looking back now on those early commercial projects, it’s easy to see how far we’ve come. Our largest array to date is a 7.2 megawatt project in Maine.  

The South Portland capped landfill array provides a perfect example of the progress made, because it was built and designed in multiple phases. Whereas the 2017 phase used poured concrete to anchor the array, the 2022 phase used rock ballast – a much less carbon-intense way of securing the array, and one that relies on more locally sourced materials. 

“It really shows how we’ve improved over time,” says Anna, who went out to the landfill site her first day on the job. “That’s a fundamental tenant of ReVision – do an awesome job and learn from it and then do even better next time.” 

As part of our 20th Anniversary celebrations, we’ll be showcasing a different ReVision team every month. We’ll look at how the team and its roles have changed over the past two decades, and glance ahead at what the future might hold.

Looking Back & Looking Ahead: The Residential Sales and Design Team

The Residential Sales team is made up of Solar Advisors – the first employee-owners to call and connect with potential customers – and Solar Design Specialists – the first faces seen by most customers at their initial site visits. When someone expresses interest in solar, this team walks them through the basics, and then goes to their home (sometimes virtually) to take measurements and discuss energy goals. They later create a proposal, often including heat pumps, battery storage, and EV charging, and work closely with the engineering team to ensure technical excellence.

The Beginning of Solar Sales

While currently a team of 48, the Sales team started out with just a few individuals based out of our original Liberty office. John Luft, the very first ReVision employee, summed up the atmosphere:

“The Sales team in the very early days was also the Install team and the Operations team, the Engineering Department, and the Service Department. You did what was needed to get the job done. As we grew, the natural flow was for someone who had been an installer to transition into ‘Sales’ because they really knew a lot about what needed to go into the design.”

Nate Bowie, our VP of Residential Sales, joined ReVision in 2010 as a solar hot water installer and plumbing apprentice. As John described, that naturally led to Nate becoming one of the first sales team members, where he witnessed the Solar Design Specialist (SDS) team really take shape. 

“We titled the positions ‘Solar Design Specialist’ because that’s what we do: we design the solar project. At other solar companies, someone else might design the actual system after it’s sold, but our sales team does all that work, which really involves some light engineering.”

Nate says that this technical excellence is one of the greatest strengths of the team, which has grown from its original two to 48 employee-owners: 35 Solar Design Specialists and 13 Solar Advisors.

“Because of the way we structure the team, putting the design in their hands, it forces them to be proficient technically and that’s a big leg up. We can have really in-depth conversations with potential customers. The solar industry is now less of a mystery; customers are way more informed than they used to be, so their questions are beyond ‘how many panels fit on my roof?’ They want to know how things work and it doesn’t matter if it’s solar or batteries or heat pumps or water heating, our sales team is top notch there.”

Thomas Tutor, Residential Sales Team Manager in Maine, agrees with this. “Our team is so passionate about what they do and always eager to become even more knowledgeable experts in the field. The favorite part of each SDS’s job is always a great site evaluation with a new customer who is committed to the clean energy transition and excited to figure out the most practical ways to kick their fossil fuel habit. We love getting to know more Mainers and working together with them to put the building blocks of the clean energy transition into their homes.”

Where is Solar Design headed?

We’ve been here for twenty years and now we’re looking ahead to the next twenty. Solar is a rapidly evolving industry, but there are a few key areas we are certain will continue to drive innovation and growth in the industry. 

Virtual Modeling Software and Drone Capabilities

The software we use to assess a house and create a mockup of a solar system has become more efficient and effective in recent years. We can now virtually model your home’s potential solar array and even get shade readings without ever having to step foot on your property. In the next few years we expect this software to get even better, and possibly be able to interact with drone imaging.

“There’s a lot of potential for drone innovation with technology that already exists,” said Nate. “It would be helpful for our design team and obviously very cool to be able to show customers.”  

We will never become a fully virtual design team; it’s important for us to have that face-to-face connection with our customers. But improving our virtual modeling abilities will increase the number of site visits we can do as we save time (and carbon emissions!) previously spent driving to sites.

Battery Storage and Bi-Directional Charging

Nate also sees the future of battery storage rapidly developing. Possibilities like home automation integrated with solar, solar inverter integrated batteries, and Smart technologies are all on the horizon for ReVision. We also believe that bi-directional charging – where the battery of your electric vehicle can power your home – will change the battery landscape.

“Currently the path toward energy storage is to buy a battery, stick it in your basement, and power your home. There will soon be another path! Your EV’s battery has way more capacity than one you can put in your basement. So basement storage won’t go away, but there will be more options for large-scale deployment.”

Inclusive Solar

To achieve the clean and just future we want, we need solar to be accessible to everyone. Thomas thinks that in the future, financing will be key.

“Becoming more comfortable with financing as the dominant way to go solar will improve access and equity. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax breaks and rebate money will help to make even more projects cash flow positive, meaning New Englanders can trade their current fuel and electric bills for a single clean energy loan payment for solar and heat pumps! The IRA money for state green banks should also help but we’ve still got about a year to see what that looks like.”

Community solar farms (CSFs) also play big roles in ensuring solar is accessible to all, although currently they are only available in Maine. By eliminating the need to own property or have a solar-friendly roof, community solar farms are bringing solar to everyone from renters to condo owners. This option is also popular among homeowners who have already filled their roof with solar but want to supplement that clean energy load. 

Kate is a graduate student at Antioch University New England studying Environmental Education.

This guest blog post is written by Kate Witte, a graduate student at Antioch University New England studying Environmental Education. She is the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Glover’s Ledge and is passionate about connecting people to nature.

This fall, the Antioch University Board of Governors approved the installation of a 141kW ground-mounted solar array at Glover’s Ledge in Langdon, New Hampshire. Glover’s Ledge is an Antioch University New England stewarded property used for outdoor recreation, student and faculty research, and biodiversity conservation. Our decision to install solar was based on providing research opportunities for students and faculty involved in sustainable development, as well as furthering our commitment to environmental sustainability.

Photo Credit: Antioch University New England

At Glover’s Ledge, trees on an acre of land were cleared for the construction of the array, and of that acre, less than half was stumped for the installation of the solar racking and panels. Trees on the perimeter of the area larger than 15 inches in diameter were removed to maximize sunlight penetration. Although the site was an old gravel pit, it certainly seems counterintuitive for a property focused on ecological conservation, education, and research to convert a portion of the land that could grow forest to a non-forest use. However, the solar array is furthering our commitment to education and conservation. Data from the array will be displayed on a live monitoring feed. This provides an opportunity for our students in sustainable development programs to work with raw solar data and expand their knowledge of alternative energy in real time.

Glover’s Ledge array after a snowstorm

As well as furthering student learning, the array is also helping us with our commitment to ecological conservation by providing an opportunity for habitat restoration. Land within the cleared area, including the space between the rows of panels, will be seeded and planted as a pollinator meadow and open field. These ecosystems are beneficial for bees, butterflies, bats, and other pollinators. The cleared area on the edge of the forest will be maintained as early successional shrub-scrub habitat. The tall grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs that will grow will benefit numerous wildlife species particularly small mammals and unique songbirds.

Finally, this solar array is an important step in our commitment to mitigating the climate crisis. Solar energy is a virtually unlimited clean energy source that does not require the extraction of fossil fuels. Carbon emissions from fossil fuels are responsible for much of the climate change we are experiencing globally. Solar farms and rooftop solar are in the top 10 climate solutions according to Project Drawdown, the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming. This solar array is an important climate mitigation tool and educational tool, and we are so excited to be generating clean energy at Glover’s Ledge!

3S Artspace Combines Creativity with Contemporary Issues

3S Artspace , a non-profit contemporary arts organization, is nestled on a quiet little corner of downtown Portsmouth’s Vaughan Street. Focused on the intersection of art and contemporary issues, 3S has hosted numerous exhibits, performances, films and more in the 6 years since they opened.

Maybe you’ve wandered in during one of Portsmouth’s Art Round Town nights, or maybe you’ve snagged some tacos and whiskey from their partner, award-winning restaurant, Barrio . Whether or not you’ve visited before, trust us when we say you do not want to miss their upcoming exhibits: A Quiet Reach , featuring works by Daniel Minter, and Vision & Visibility , a group exhibit of works by emerging BIPOC artists.

The exhibits launch November 19th, after almost 2 years of planning and postponing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with our friends at Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (BHTNH), who were originally slated to host artist Daniel Minter’s work in the spring of 2020, 3S Artspace has poured a ton of thought and energy into this program. They are not to be missed!

A look behind the scenes of 3S Artspace’s upcoming exhibits, with Executive Directer Beth Falconer

Like many cultural spaces across America, 3S is actively examining the way they think about diversity and equity in the arts world. ReVision had a chance to speak with 3S Executive Director Beth Falconer recently, and learned more about the motivation and experience creating these new exhibits. Our interview with Beth was consolidated and is shared below in written and video form.

How did the Vision and Visibility exhibit come together?

“Vision and Visibility was something that came together because of many points that were going on in contemporary culture,” says Beth, pointing specifically to the 2020 killing of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. At that time, many questions started being raised in the arts and culture space, like “whose work was being shown?” and “what do staffs and boards look like at clubs, museums, theaters, and galleries?”. The discussions prompted by these questions led to a reexamining of processes previously thought inclusive, and Beth explains how new procedures and partnerships helped achieve greater access and inclusion for exhibits like Vision and Visibility.

With Daniel Minter anchoring the exhibit, 3S partnered with BHTNH to put out an open call for BIPOC artists across New England. They were thrilled with the response they got and were faced with some tough decisions as they whittled down the exhibit to the 12 artists you’ll see when you visit.

“We want to show work that hasn’t been exhibited in Portsmouth before, by a group of artists whose work has never been shown together,” explains Beth, “and we want the work seen by as many people as possible.”

Tell us about the motive behind the adjacent student-featured exhibit, Culture Keepers, Culture Makers.

Also opening November 19th is an exhibit of student work from 3S’s free 10-week series of workshops called ” Culture Keepers, Culture Makers. ” The program was developed by Richard Haynes and Kristen Butterfield-Ferrell as a way to reinforce the importance of a safe space to talk about race openly.

“The whole premise is that culture is an incredibly powerful influence,” Beth explains, “everything from pop music to television. So we need to have trained, critical eyes on what came before us, and we need to be very mindful of what we’re putting out in the future. As artists, as people who work in spaces that are fortunate enough to present the work of artists, we need to ask ourselves: how can we look back, what are we learning, why does the imagery look that way and what can we do to bring that conversation forward to be a culture keeper and a culture maker.”

Art, Beth believes, is meant to trigger something. “We are particularly interested, at 3S, in the intersection of art and contemporary issues, but we also have room for art for art’s sake. The last thing you want is to walk by something and almost not notice it, to have no response. It has to prompt you to feel or to think something. It is in that response that work is interesting.”

Upcoming Opportunities to See the Exhibits:

November 18th, 7pm: The Black Matter Is Life Poetry Event with BHTNH November 19th, 5-8pm: Opening Reception December 9th, 5-6pm: Join ReVision Energy co-owners and solar champions at our very own viewing of the exhibit!

Thanks to 3S Artspace and the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire

We’re featuring ReVision Employee-Owner Jude Nuru , who joined ReVision Energy’s New Hampshire team at the end of 2020 as Director of Community Solar Initiatives. Jude is hard at work making sure the clean energy transition is just and inclusive, especially for low-income and moderate-income customers through community solar. We found time in his busy schedule to ask 6 questions about community solar, solar education, and New Hampshire’s solar opportunities and challenges.

Jude Nuru, Director of Community Solar Initiatives.

As Director of Community Solar Initiatives, what does your job entail?

I lead ReVision Energy on community solar projects with schools and nonprofits. Schools and nonprofits have no tax appetite to take advantage of federal tax incentives to reduce the cost of installing solar. As part of my role, I work with mission-aligned impact investors to use their tax advantage to help provide funding for schools and nonprofits including low-moderate income (LMI) communities.

I also work with state agencies such as the NH PUC to secure grants to support community solar projects for LMI customers. Additionally, I engage in solarize campaigns and other advocacy activities to educate the public about the benefits of community solar. While not my primary focus, I also work on projects with businesses and municipals.

What brought you to ReVision Energy?

I am a clean energy enthusiast (especially solar energy) and I have previously worked in the clean energy sector in Ghana and the UK. I have also researched the benefits of community solar, especially for underserved communities and I feel very passionate about ensuring all-inclusive energy transitions. I saw a perfect alignment between my area of interest and ReVision Energy’s core values, and that’s the reason I chose ReVision Energy.

In your opinion, what are the best ways to educate people about renewable energy?

People generally, especially skeptics, want to see concrete evidence before accepting that renewable energy can help solve our climate crisis. While there are several ways to do that, I would start with the following four strategies:

1. Show graphic evidence of the negative impact of climate change caused by fossil fuels, and follow that with information on the benefits of renewable energy, such as cost-savings and environmental benefits.
2. Organize local community forums or campaigns where the local community energy and climate issues could be contextualized, and renewable energy solutions highlighted as the remedy to the issues underscored.
3. Institute regular webinar series either at an institutional or community level to sensitize people on the values of renewable energy.
4. Engage with policy makers and thought leaders in the community to garner their support for renewable energy.

A solar project for Dover High School.

Can you talk about the Solarize Schools program that you’ve worked on during your time at ReVision?

I have initiated the Solarize New Hampshire Schools’ campaign within ReVision with the aim of educating schools about the benefits of solar energy and the ways to go solar without upfront cost. The solarize campaign is an existing strategy, but we want to use it to get as many schools as possible in NH to go solar by 2030.

We intend to target large school districts in the state that have many schools with good physical, organizational, and relational characteristics that will facilitate the adoption of solar energy by the schools.

How can we make solar more accessible for low-to-moderate income (LMI) communities?

First, we need state level policies that would make funding available for LMI community solar projects. I would like to see an expansion of the NH PUC renewable energy fund (REF), which is meant to sponsor the development of community solar for LMI customers. The current funding is so limited and can only support one or two projects in a year. There should also be specific federal incentives to promote the development of LMI community solar projects to make it attractive to impact investors. Impact investment is the greatest vehicle to fund community solar projects and make solar energy accessible to LMI communities.

Solar array at Mascoma Meadows, a resident-owned mobile home park in Lebanon, NH.

Furthermore, a state tax or federal tax could be imposed on certain commodities such as cigarettes and alcoholic beverages to limit their consumption while raising funds to develop community solar for LMI customers. Additionally, the state or federal government should offer support to organizations that run multi-family LMI housing programs (e.g., Southwestern Community Services, Cheshire Housing etc., as well as Resident-Owned Communities) to enable them to install solar energy for their tenants.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about solar in New Hampshire?

I am passionate about the work that I am involved with at ReVision Energy. However, it’s sad to say that the current energy policies in NH do not support community solar projects. States like California, Colorado, and even neighboring states like Massachusetts and Maine where favorable clean energy policies exist, are seeing exponential growth in community solar projects. I’m hopeful that NH will see a change in the current legislation to promote community solar soon.