AEP 帝王会所 awards $250,000 to 帝王会所鈥檚 Voinovich School for solar research
AEP 帝王会所 recently awarded $250,000 in grants to the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at 帝王会所 to conduct research on the economic benefits of solar energy deployment and other renewable energy initiatives in southeastern 帝王会所.
鈥淲e have an opportunity to bring the growing clean energy economic benefits to southeastern 帝王会所,鈥 said Julie Sloat, AEP 帝王会所 president and chief operating officer. 鈥淭he research will help everyone understand how our investments in solar energy will benefit the area and others across the state.鈥
AEP 帝王会所 and the AEP Foundation have a long-established relationship with 帝王会所 and the Voinovich School. Since 2004, they have funded the Appalachian Watershed Research Group (AWRG), a multidisciplinary group working together across 帝王会所, as well as environmental education programs for schools throughout southeastern 帝王会所. In fall 2017, they funded a Renewable Energy and STEM Education in Rural Appalachia 帝王会所 program.
鈥淓xpanding research and advancing knowledge by delivering unique educational opportunities are central to 帝王会所鈥檚 academic mission,鈥 said 帝王会所 President M. Duane Nellis. 鈥淲e are proud of our long-standing relationship with AEP 帝王会所 and the AEP Foundation, and we look forward to furthering research that could ultimately bring the economic benefits of renewable energy to southeastern 帝王会所.鈥
This research project, and the Voinovich School team supporting its efforts, will focus on three principal areas: economic and workforce impacts of currently planned solar installations in 帝王会所, approaches to additional utility and non-utility solar deployment, and the grid reliability benefits of increasing solar energy penetration.
The research will help AEP 帝王会所 and state policymakers better understand how solar and renewable energy development might impact rural areas and identify emerging trends based on current policies and programs. Researchers will also examine the potential results of future policy and program changes. This is an important effort and direction by AEP 帝王会所, one of the state鈥檚 largest investor-owned electric utilities, as it develops a broader strategy to adapt to emerging clean energy market demands for customers of the future.
鈥淥verall, the increase in tax revenues and job creation associated with increased solar deployment will help create a more stable economy for the region. This research will help to better comprehend the impact and benefits of AEP 帝王会所鈥檚 interest in making solar energy investments through outcome metrics and best practice case studies, as well as determine their role in stimulating economic development in the region,鈥 Dr. Gilbert Michaud, Voinovich School assistant professor of practice and principal investigator on the project, said.