The Oklahoma Bar Journal May 2024

O UR SOLAR FUTURE IS BRIGHT IN OKLAHOMA! Some of you may be wondering whether you should go solar, what is the law and what is the risk. I get these questions often. As a co-founder of the Oklahoma Solar Association, I am familiar with Oklahoma’s solar potential, and I agree with what Thomas Edison said: “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that. I wish I had more years left.” 1

time, technological improvements and declining solar costs make it financially feasible to install solar today. This fact helps solar rise above politics. After all, good investments are favored by all political sides. As consumers become better educated and more thoughtful about their energy choices, elec tric utilities across the country are shifting business models in efforts to adjust to the chang ing marketplace for consumers. Consequently, the laws and regulations around solar are changing. Now more than ever, people understand their electric consumption, the different tech nologies that supply their energy and the associated costs and fees, and they want more control over the sources of their energy and a hand in efforts to contain costs from rising utility rates.

In our country, ideas we value are typically followed by capi tal to support further research and development, but some times politics get in the way of this pursuit. Take, for instance, the White House solar panels. Although President Nixon first inquired about the possibility, it was President Carter who, in 1979, installed the White House solar panels and established funding for the then-nascent Department of Energy (DOE). However, by 1986, President Reagan removed the panels and slashed renew ables in the DOE budget in favor of continuing to fund oil and coal production. 4 The result of this political tug-of-war begs the ques tion, how much more advanced and inexpensive could rooftop solar be today if the technology and policies had nearly four additional decades to develop? Even despite losing that extra

Let me share some facts, and let’s start at the beginning. Oklahoma, widely known for its oil and natural gas industries, also has abundant natural energy resources such as wind and solar. But since it is not feasible for everyone to have an oil or gas well or even a wind turbine at home, solar energy can benefit any Oklahoman. According to data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oklahoma is tied for No. 6 in the nation for its solar potential. 2 Oklahoma is ranked No. 8 in peak sun hours, which is an hour in the day when the intensity of the sunlight (or solar irradiance) generates approxi mately 1,000 watts (or one kilo watt) of energy per square meter of surface area. 3 This means Oklahoma is a top 10 state in solar irradiance and solar potential, yet we find our state in the bottom 10 for solar deployment. Put simply, we can do better.

Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff.

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL