Solar Fact Finding Mission to Germany for Utility Decision Makers
The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), the World Future Council (WFC) and the Northwest Solar Center (NWSC) at Washington State University are pleased to announce a solar fact finding mission to Germany for U.S. utility decision makers. The mission is sponsored by First Solar.
When and Where?
Arrive in Freiburg: June 8
Travel by bus from Freiburg to Munich: June 11, 2008
Depart from Munich: June 14, 2008
What?
The mission will provide the opportunity for U.S. utilities to exchange information and lessons learned with Germany utilities, solar manufacturers and integrators, researchers, and policy makers, and will conclude with participation in Intersolar (the largest solar industry trade show in the world) in Munich, Germany.
The delegation will assemble in Freiburg, Germany on June 8th for meetings with Germany utilities, a visit to a solar manufacturing facility, and a tour of the Fraunhofer Solar Institute. While in the Freiburg region, the delegation will also visit residential, commercial, and large-scale ground mounted solar projects. Upon leaving Freiburg and in route to Munich, the delegation will visit multi-megawatt solar projects. In Munich, the group will attend Intersolar and meet with various solar manufacturers and integrators before departing back to the U.S. on June 14th.
Who?
The fact finding mission will include a delegation of up to 20 U.S. utility decision makers in addition to staff members from the presenting organizations. Utility employees are required to apply to participate and will be selected by the presenting organizations. A stipend of $1,000 will be provided to utility participants to defray flight costs, and ground transportation and hotel expenses will be fully covered by the program. All participants will be expected to cover expenses for their own meals.
Why?
The principle goals of this mission are to:
- Examine how U.S. utilities can emulate the success of German utilities in integrating large quantities of renewable resources into a national utility grid without creating transmission bottle necks, system quality distortions, and scheduling issues.
- Gather lessons learned from German utilities that have used a feed-in tariff to leverage customer investments.
- Create a group of U.S. senior executive utility personnel that have a working relationship with German counterparts.
- Expose U.S. utility decision makers to various solar applications, ranging from building integrated residential and commercial projects to multi-megawatt ground mounted projects.
Up to twenty electric utility decision makers will be selected to participate in the Solar Fact Finding Mission to Germany.
Terms and Conditions:
Travel
- Recipients will receive a $1,000 travel stipend for airfare. Recipient is responsible for 1) making his/her own air travel arrangements, 2) transportation to/from airports and 3) covering meal expenses (breakfast is typically included in the cost of a hotel stay in Germany).
- Organizers of the mission will make hotel arrangements in the Freiburg and Munich areas for all recipients and will cover costs for the nights of June 8 through June 14. Participants may be asked to share a room with another individual during the Munich portion of the trip.
- Organizers of the mission will make arrangements and cover costs for group transportation from Freiburg to Munich.
- Recipients must arrive in Freiburg, Germany by June 8 and should depart Munich, Germany on June 14.
Eligibility
- Employees of municipal, cooperative, and investor-owned utilities who are authorized to make decisions regarding the development and implementation of new utility programs and policies are eligible to apply.
- Employees of utility associations (national or regional) who have the ability to influence and communicate information to multiple utility decision makers are eligible to apply.
- Utilities that are members of the Solar Electric Power Association will receive priority.
- Geographic location and utility type will be considered to ensure a diversity of recipients.
Applications are due by April 18, 2008. Applicants will be notified no later than April 28, 2008 about whether they have been selected.
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