Town of Warwick hosting expert panel on solar energy

WARWICK — New York State is focused on energy, specifically renewable energy, including solar, wind and water.
On Monday, Jan. 22, the Town of Warwick is hosting a panel of experts in the field of solar energy at the town hall, starting at 7 p.m.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has set goals for Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) for the state. These goals include:
• Building a more resilient energy system;
• Growing the state’s energy efficiency;
• Cutting greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050; and
• Supporting the growth of clean energy innovation.
PanelistsThe tentative schedule of panelists for the discussion include Houtan Moaveni, Jeff Irish and Eric Will.
Houtan Moaveni serves as deputy director of NY-Sun Initiative and New York State Distributed Generation Interconnection Ombudsman at New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). He has 10 years of experience in solar energy systems design, analysis and operation.
Jeff Irish is the founder and president of Hudson Solar, a Rhinebeck-based family-owned and award-winning business that designs and installs solar systems for residential, commercial, agricultural, municipal and non-profit organizations.
Eric Will is a manager for Geronimo Energy, an independent North American renewable energy development company based in Minneapolis. Geronimo provides renewable electric energy development solutions for utilities, independent power producers, corporations and public entities. It has more than 1,600 megawatts of wind and solar energy projects that are either operational or under construction.
SolSmart The Town of Warwick is a SolSmart Gold designee. SolSmart is a national designation program that recognizes communities that have taken key steps to address local barriers to solar energy and foster the growth of local solar markets. Currently, there are 163 communities across the country recognized by SolSmart as either gold, silver or bronze designees.
Anyone interested in learning more about the solar industry and other renewable energy is encouraged to attend.
- Linda Smith Hancharick