Greening Cities Phoenix Leads The Way with Nick Brown, Ep #009

Sure, there are solar farms but have you encountered a solar city? That’s just what you will find in Phoenix. They are building parking lot carports that not only provide coveted shade for citizens but lay a foundation for a sort of inner-city solar farm. Additionally, they are utilizing many city-owned properties to harness clean energy to light up Sun Valley.

It’s a great pleasure to have guest Nick Brown, energy manager for the City of Phoenix, on Smart Energy Voices. In this episode, you'll gain insights on the great strides made in buying clean energy and the strategies behind those purchases. Nick sat down with Smart Energy Decisions director of education programs Peter Kelly-Detweiler at the most recent Renewable Energy Sourcing Forum. You'll appreciate and relate to Nick's perspective on why his work in the energy sector is so important and meaningful. 

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Why Nick finds this to be one of the most fulfilling roles of his career [2:24]
• Why the carbon budget is imperative [5:11]
• Performance contracting using a qualified vendors list [7:59]
• Values beyond energy conservation [10:04]
• How big are the projects and how many are installed [12:43]
• Bigger utility-scale approaches when offsetting large amounts of energy [14:57]
• Advice for cities looking at decarbonization efforts like solar projects [17:14]

Click here for detailed show notes

Resources & People Mentioned

• City of Phoenix’s Sustainability Goals

Connect with Nick Brown

• On Linkedin

Nick Brown, City Energy Manager, City of Phoenix

Nick Brown installed his first solar PV systems in 1980 and has worked on renewable energy, biodiversity conservation, climate action plans, and GHG inventories, as a field ecologist, university instructor, program manager, and lobbyist. He is dedicated to developing solutions to the climate crisis, to maintain the quality of life for our kids and theirs. His work at the City of Phoenix focuses on project development for utility-scale solar, EV charging, microgrids, energy efficiency, and urban community resilience. Nick sits on governance, facilities, community services, and power committees. He also works to expand the adoption of rooftop solar, reduce the company’s GHG emissions, and improve its transparency and public reporting.

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If you're interested in participating in the next edition of the SED Renewable Energy Sourcing Forum taking place on December 7-11, visit smartenergydecisions.com or email our Event Operations Director, Lisa Carroll at lisa@smartenergydecisions.com"

Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com