Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association

Another impactful day at #SolarFocus24!?? On Wednesday, our Vice President of Development, Ryan Boswell, joined an expert panel for "Avoiding Permitting Pitfalls in Maryland's CPCN Process," moderated by David Murray of TurningPoint Energy. Ryan was joined by Bob Sadzinski from Maryland DNR, Kathy Poole from Dewberry, and David Beugelmans of Gordon Feinblatt LLC. Ryan emphasized the importance of early and meaningful community engagement, explaining: "We don’t always start with a warm reception, but demonstrating that effort has been really important. The more you engage everyone who will contribute to your success—and engage them early—the better your outcome." This sentiment sparked a thoughtful discussion among panelists about strategies to streamline the permitting process and how 2025 resource updates might reshape CPCN requirements. As we close out our time at Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association's 2024 Solar Focus Conference, we're energized by the actionable insights and strengthened connections we've established. Here's to building a brighter, cleaner future—together! ?? #cleanenergy #renewableenergy

The Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association held a substantive and informative #SolarFocus24 conference in Baltimore this week. Here are my top five takeaways. 1.??The situation with the PJM Interconnection queue is a mess. Huge cost and environmental implications here. 2.??Land use, siting and permitting issues continue to cause delays in solar development, but the industry clearly addressing it more seriously. 3.??Lots of talk about agrivoltaics progressing from planting pollinators, to adding grazing animals, to now planting productive crops among the solar arrays to preserve farmland. 4.??Regarding the elections, various speakers said they were focused on state policies, and pointed to the number of projects in red districts and the proclaimed strength of U.S. manufacturing as reasons for optimism. We’ll see. 5.? The conference took place 40 years to the day after CHESSA, then MDV SEIA, was launched. Kudos to Robin Dutta, for honoring pioneers and for putting on a great show. Athanor was a proud sponsor of the event.

It was a productive and informative week at the Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association’s Solar Focus conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Virginia and Maryland are critical markets for the community solar industry and there is much policy work to be done to ensure they continue to grow. I appreciated the insights offered by key legislators Maryland Delegate Lorig Charkoudian and Virginia Delegate Rip Sullivan, who have both been vital in passing renewable energy legislation in their states. I look forward to continuing to work with fellow CHESSA members and staff to bolster these markets and build out the Mid-Atlantic’s renewable energy infrastructure.

?? Reflecting on an Inspiring Solar Focus 2024! ?? I had an amazing time at Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association CHESSA’s Solar Focus this week, learning from industry leaders and diving into critical conversations about the future of renewable energy. It was a pleasure to attend alongside my colleagues Todd Chason, David Beugelmans, Max Cooke, Nicole Lacoste Folks, and Austin Klinger from Gordon Feinblatt LLC. I'm grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many passionate professionals! A major highlight for me was the #Agrivoltaics panel, where we explored the exciting potential of integrating solar energy with agricultural practices. Additionally, the session on avoiding pitfalls in the #CPCN permitting process, in Maryland, provided valuable insights into navigating challenges as solar development accelerates. With discussions like these, it’s clear that the solar industry is primed for incredible growth. I’m excited to see how renewable energy continues to shape our world and look forward to further conversations about the innovative solutions driving this transformation. I also love to see events like this in #Baltimore! A huge thanks to #SEIA and everyone involved for organizing such a thought-provoking event. Let’s keep the momentum going! #SolarFocus2024 #RenewableEnergy #Agrivoltaics #SolarGrowth #Sustainability #GordonFeinblatt #solar

Recapping my recent travels to Baltimore, thank you and a huge shoutout to Robin Dutta and the Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association for organizing such well-rounded, extensive & solid Solar Focus conference this past week. I had the pleasure of representing Solar United Neighbors alongside my colleagues Liz Veazey and Michelle Ko?acz. One of the many perks at these forums, connecting with long-standing partners in-person, as well as new prospects across the region & industry--always a welcome change from those Google Hangout sessions across the year. One of the standout sessions featured some of our partners on “The Essential Role of Local Government in the Clean Energy Revolution" panel, the session emphasized how local governments are key drivers of solar adoption & innovations, this is especially relevant to our own efforts as we continue to grow our co-ops & the Solar Switch model across the east coast (and beyond). One of the major recurring themes was around preserving critical components around the IRA bill, namely the tax credits among others. And while I have my own reservations about how those provisions will evolve moving forward, as one of the panelists pointed out, the train’s already left the station on solar—there is bipartisan support around various facets of the solar industry and our work will continue, irrespective of how things shape up come spring next year. #CHESSA2024 #SolarFocus2024 #SolarEnergy #CHESSASolarFocus?

Thank you Robin Dutta and the Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association for the incredible opportunity to speak on the Women in Solar panel at this year’s Solar Focus conference. It was an honor to share insights from my career journey and my work as Director of Environmental Commodities Operations at Sol Systems. It was inspiring to join Carrie Hearne and Kaitlin Kelly O'Neill in reflecting on what it means to be a leader, exploring ways to foster mentorship, and discussing strategies to grow the number of women in the solar workforce. #WomeninSolar #Renewables #Solar

I had such an amazing experience speaking on the “How Agrivoltaics Can Go Mainstream” panel at the Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association (CHESSA) Solar Focus today. My fellow panelists always teach me something new. Thank you Miles Q. Braxton Daniel Dotterer Rachel Jones. Y’all brought great information to the table today, it was a pleasure hearing from you and promoting Agrivoltaics with you. Also, Jake Springer did a great job leading the panel! #solargrazing #agrivoltaicsforall #agrisolar #AgPV #solar

Wrapping up my few days in Baltimore, feeling good about the state of renewable energy in the DMV. My sponge is overflowing with all the knowledge gained from the experts in the renewable market. Big shout out to Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association who brought everyone together for a shared mission.

?? Avoid Permitting Pitfalls in Maryland's CPCN Process ?? Understanding Maryland’s Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) process is crucial for developers of solar projects. A CPCN is a legal approval needed to construct a solar project larger than 2 MW in Maryland. At Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association’s Solar Focus, David Beugelmans did a fantastic job breaking down the CPCN landscape and its challenges. Special thanks to Bob Sadzinski, Ryan Boswell, David Murray and Kathy Poole for sharing valuable insights on navigating the permitting process and avoiding common pitfalls. If you're navigating the CPCN process, Gordon Feinblatt LLC is an excellent resource to help! If you’re working on solar development in Maryland, understanding the CPCN process is key to success! #SolarEnergy #CPCN #Permitting #RenewableEnergy #Maryland #Sustainability #CleanEnergy #GordonFeinblatt

Our Director of Renewable Energy Programs, Cindy McCabe, is representing us at the CHESSA Solar Focus Conference this week. She shared valuable insights during yesterday’s session, “The Essential Role of Local Government in the Clean Energy Revolution,” highlighting how local governments can drive solar deployment and support clean energy innovation. Thank you to Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association for hosting this conference and fostering critical discussions about the future of clean energy!