#nclcv

Raleigh is awesome. It’s got all of the charm of a city, yet it’s not overwhelming and of course, it’s got that Southern charm. Growing up in NYC and spending most of my life there, being here in Raleigh for the summer has been a refreshing change. I love the slower pace of life, the random and intense fleeting summer storms, and I’ve loved having down time to explore. After the first few weeks of not knowing what to do with my free time and constantly thinking I had something due, I finally started to relax. Being in the Capital District for work, it seems like I’m really close to everything in Raleigh. I’ve discovered the best Thai food I’ve had so far in the Triangle at a place called Bida Manda, a block away from my internship. I’ve added a nearby ice cream shop called Treat to my list of all-time favorite ice cream places. They serve local ice cream made in Chapel Hill. It’s delicious! There’s also a great farmer’s market every Wednesday that we all go to for lunch. I also loved checking out the Natural Science and Natural History museums as well as the State Legislature and State Capitol. There’s also a ton of Civil War trails too.

So about that internship…It’s been pretty great! During my first few weeks back in May, I was researching current policy debates and reports on the solar and renewable energy industries. I read tons of articles on the economic and public health benefits of renewable energy in North Carolina. I did a little data analysis tracking net generation and revenue of solar farms in NC as well as tracking private/public investment, average cost savings, and the revenue from NC’s renewable energy industry. While doing all of this research, it was amazing how many times I relied on concepts that I’ve learned at Sanford. While reading through cost-benefit analyses for renewable energy projects, discount rates and net present values were popping up! Turns out it was all really useful after all!

I also did a comparative analysis of state policies on solar energy and Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards (REPS standards) in different states. REPS standards are basically a state’s goals on how much of their energy should come from renewable sources. Currently, NC requires 6% of its energy to come from renewable sources with a goal of 12.5% by 2020.

North Carolina State Legislature

There is an ongoing battle in the State Legislature to freeze REPS at its current level and let the state’s Renewable Energy Tax Credit (RETC) expire, both of which would cripple the growing solar economy in NC. NCLCV is part of a campaign to prevent this from happening. So I pretty much got a crash course on solar- I’ve read up on qualifications for different solar jobs, what goes into building a solar farm, the different sectors involved, and how policies have impacted renewable energy generation in different states. It’s fascinating how much goes into building a solar farm-from financing to construction to development, and it’s an effort that involves businesses in various sectors.

In these last few weeks, I’ve used the information I’ve gathered to create factsheets for targeted advocacy campaigns. I’ve created a factsheet highlighting public health impacts from nonrenewables. I’ve also created a factsheet highlighting a local solar farm and the different sectors that worked together on the project. I’m currently working on an infographic highlighting the benefits of clean energy investment in NC and writing my first email action alert.

I’ve also had some great networking opportunities through NCLCV. During my first week, I helped out with a fundraiser at Carolina Beach in Wilmington. It was such a great town, and I can’t wait to go back for another visit. It was a laid-back atmosphere being so close to the beach and meeting people from local coastal towns. I also helped out at NCLCV’s annual Green Tie Awards at the Natural Science Museum in downtown Raleigh. At this event, NCLCV honors legislators with good conservation records. I got to meet a few house representatives and state senators as well as individuals from other environmental organizations. I also got to participate in a few lobbying days at the NC General Assembly to lobby representatives on conservation legislation (easier said than done…).

So what have I learned from all of this? 1- I feel like I know much more about solar energy than I thought possible. 2-One of the main things I’ve gotten out of this internship is that breaking down dense policies and communicating them to a wider audience truly is an art (and a difficult one at that). You can get so bogged down in tiny details from reports. After many editing sessions with the communications team at NCLCV, I’d like to think I’ve gotten better at plainspoken language versus using overly academic terms. 3- Most importantly, I’ve learned about the importance of effectively communicating policy issues to a wider audience, which is instrumental in affecting policy outcomes. You can have a great public policy, but if you don’t build support for it via coalition groups, then it’s not worth much (Nick Carnes’ class much?). So overall, I’ve worked with incredibly hard-working people who are passionate about what they do and I’ve learned a lot during my short time here.

Summer Sunset (In case any of you miss Durham!)

I’ve got to say it’s also been great hanging around Durham a bit more too. With everyone spread out for their internships, I wondered what post-Sanford life in Durham would be like. I’ve been spending breezy, warm days at Duke Gardens, trying out new recipes, getting hooked on Game of Thrones, binge watching Friends on Netflix, and reading a lot. Trips to NYC and DC to visit family and friends have also been great. I look forward to really getting a break in a few weeks and road tripping it down to Charleston and Savannah with my family before heading home to Queens. It’s been such an awesome summer. I miss you all and I hope you’re doing great life-changing things and enjoying your summers!!