Solar energy professional Robert Blake discusses solar power opportunities, social justice, and his entrepreneurial and life goals of making solar power available to all.
Transcript
HEADLINES: Marie: This week on Minnesota Native News: Solar energy professional Robert Blake discusses solar power opportunities, social justice, and his entrepreneurial and life goals of making solar power available to all.
This is Minnesota Native News, I’m Marie Rock.
STORY 1 AND ONLY: MINNESOTA SOLAR POWER WITH ROBERT BLAKE
Solar power capacity in Minnesota has been increasing dramatically in the last few years. Solar capacity more than doubled in 2017, compared to 2016.
Robert Blake sees the opportunity and necessity in this expansion.
Here’s Leah Lemm with the story.
REPORTER: National speakers and solar industry experts will convene to discuss climate change, renewable energy, and actionable steps individuals can take to reduce their carbon footprint… and more.
The event is the upcoming Just Solar Coalition Conference, held at Metropolitan State University, on March tenth.
Robert Blake is one of the organizers and is a presenter at the conference.
BLAKE: I believe renewable energy can make a community healthier and wealthier.
REPORTER: Using solar energy can help mitigate climate change by reducing demand for burning fossil fuels for energy which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Over time, solar energy is also less expensive than traditional power grid electricity.
One of the presentations at the Just Solar Coalition Conference is based on the work of Blake’s solar power company, Solar Bear.
BLAKE: We’re a part of putting solar on top of the government center in Red Lake. The idea here is to create solar energy on tribal lands, allowing tribal nations to be more self-sufficient to create their own public utilities commission.
REPORTER: Blake says the project can go a step further by training tribal members and those in surrounding communities in solar technology.
BLAKE: There’s been conflict or strife between the different communities that live on the reservations and I really feel like solar can really bring these communities together, working together on a common goal.
REPORTER: Blake’s passion for solar energy comes from many sources, including strengthening community, but his curiosity helped spark the idea.
BLAKE: I think growing up, like listening to Rage Against the Machine and like Public Enemy, and like A Tribe Called Quest and like Ice Cube, really formed my thinking… it really made me question, what was the best route for our society… do we just have to accept the status quo… how can we give back power to the people? Literally how do we give back power to the people and that’s when I became obsessed with solar.
REPORTER: Solar Bear does more than provide solar energy, as a member of the Just Solar Coalition, it also abides by coalition values.
These values center around building awareness and education so people can participate in the coalition vision, supporting solar energy equity and inclusion, creating opportunities for minority owned businesses and under-represented workforces, and creating model projects that support these values.
As the power grid all over the country ages and needs upgrading, Blake sees an opportunity to train as many people as possible.
BLAKE: Everybody’s going to have to be involved with this. And that brings me to a training opportunity that i’m working on with the Department of Corrections. What the idea here is to train individuals that were incarcerated and show them a pathway right into the solar industry.
REPORTER: Even though climate change is a complex and layered issue,
Blake encourages all of us to pay attention to our own energy usage and that we can all make a difference to lower energy consumption.
The US Department of Energy estimates a 30% reduction in household energy costs by making simple energy improvements to homes.
BLAKE: We need to also just do the simple things like unplug your microwave. I know people listening to this right now feel like, “There’s nothing I can do” but there’s plenty of things you can do, and it’s just unplugging your cell phone when you’re not using it. Or maybe if you don’t have to drive, just walk.
REPORTER: We can also maintain our fireplaces… and even using the correct-sized pots and pans for cooking meals on stovetops can help save energy.
For more information about Solar Bear and to connect with Robert Blake, contact solarbearmn@gmail.com.
More information about the conference can be found soon at mnipl.org.
For Minnesota Native News, I’m Leah Lemm.