Until recently, water has been one of the ignored components of power generation, but that’s changing. In 2013, the World Bank launched its Thirsty Energy program to develop solutions to electricity demands on global water supplies. The U.S. Department of Energy followed suit by releasing a similar initiative in 2014. Now that we see the connections between water and energy, let’s work with utilities and governments to build an integrated, resilient, and sustainable system that safeguards our resources.
What will it take to drive the large-scale transition to solar power? Rachel’s Network explores this question with Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and one of the world’s foremost experts on the nexus between utilities and solar energy. In this Q&A, Julia shares how SEPA helps utilities integrate solar energy into their portfolios, her successes, and inspiration.
2014 has been a year of water-related disasters, forcing us to think about the resources most of us take for granted every day. Our waterways are critically important to our health and our way of life, and it’s clear we have to do more, not less, to protect the rivers, lakes and bays we love and depend on. Fortunately, we have a law designed to protect our waterways: the Clean Water Act.
There’s no doubt about it: our members have achieved a lot as individuals. It takes a determined and passionate person to run a foundation or start a nonprofit. But when these women join Rachel’s Network to connect with like-minded peers, they find that their work can go further in helping advance a sustainable world. Whether it’s a connection that puts a member on the board of an important environmental organization they admire, or room to grow a nonprofit that gets funders talking about sustainable investing, we are committed to opening doors for our members and helping them access the leadership positions that fulfill their values and potential.
Janelle Orsi, an Ashoka Fellow sponsored by Rachel’s Network is developing legal infrastructure that supports the sharing economy through her nonprofit, the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC). Janelle took some time to tell us about her work, her accomplishments and the promise of an economy based on sharing.
