The U.S. Small Business Administration is lifting a loan program cap for clean energy projects for small businesses. With these new regulations, small businesses will be able to take out as many loans as they would like for up to $5.5 million to fund energy reduction or clean energy projects. These new policies come as part of a series of policy changes urging for cleaner energy from the Biden-Harris administration.
Amid these new policy changes, Sampan had the opportunity to speak with climate change activist Frank Pao, who works for the organization Climate X Change. Pao is looking to reduce carbon emissions by implementing new renewable energy technologies into our everyday lives. Pao is the author of “For the Beauty of the Earth: Solutions to Net Zero Energy,” a book that focuses on his proposals for achieving a net zero-emissions world.

Sampan: When we think about clean energy, we mostly think of solar, wind, and other renewable sources of power. What do you think are the most prominent innovations in renewable energy right now and why?
Pao: In the field of energy, I believe that solar power should be the main resource that we should look to depend on. Why?… First of all, the current technology we have to capture solar power is based on silicon. Silicon is the second most abundant resource in the world, often derived from sand. So why not make use of it? …

Sampan: Many people see solar energy as a relatively new source of energy for everyday or commercial use. Do you think solar energy will be able to be made cheaper for consumers?
Pao: Yes, I do believe that solar energy will be cheap for regular consumers. In many of the new solar technologies I see and propose, the application of solar energy will be made in households.

Sampan: What current energy inefficiencies you see in the average home in Boston right now.
Pao: First of all, our buildings are not really strong enough. … Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has been working on revising building codes, which I think is very important. The strength of the material and quality of insulation is vital to the longevity of buildings and their energy efficiency. When you install solar panels, the hope is also to help increase the longevity of the building…. I have traveled to Europe in the past, and seen how thick some of the walls in these countries can be. I really think that the average home in Boston needs improvement in its overall structure. By improving the materials that these homes are made of, we can really boost the efficiency of renewable energy, such as solar panels.

Sampan: Some people have argued that solar energy is unreliable, as it requires access to direct sunlight, which may be lacking … during the winter months. What sort of solutions have you seen to this problem?

Pao: That’s a very understandable concern. However, we really need to think of a more multi-faceted idea for renewable energy. If you have a thermal and electric system under the same roof as a home using solar energy, you can often store excess energy from solar panels and utilize this energy during times where there may not be enough sunlight – such as during the winter time… This will help increase the reliability of solar energy.

Sampan: What are some disadvantages you see in other types of renewable energy that make you believe that solar energy is the right direction forward?
Pao: First of all, one big advantage of solar energy is that there is a lack of moving parts involved. Wind energy involves a lot of moving parts, making it very costly to maintain. Additionally, wind energy is not very consistent and can be easily interfered with by wildlife such as birds.… Due to the abundance of silicon, solar energy is a much cheaper and convenient alternative.

Sampan: Shifting gears a bit, something that is a concern to many proponents of clean energy is being able to get around governmental red tape. In fact, a recent study conducted by Boston University researchers has found that U.S. mayors find red tape to be one of the hurdles toward getting clean energy projects off the ground. What challenges do you see facing solar energy from governmental regulations?
Pao: Government red tape often depends on the state, but there are a lot of policies I think that can be implemented to help progress solar energy usage. I think that one effective mode of policy to help push people can be found in Germany in the early 2000s. Under this policy, for every kilowatt used that was produced using renewable energy, the government reimbursed in euros. I think that if the federal government were to implement such a policy, it would help lift some of the resistance towards these projects from government red tape.

Sampan: For our readers who may be interested in getting solar energy, what do you think the takeaway message should be?
Pao: I believe that solar energy being gathered from the home is best, as alternatives such as solar farms take up valuable land and disrupt local ecosystems. I think it is really important to get the word out about these technologies, as if the quality of the product is good, solar energy can have significant longevity – we’re taking 30-40 years.

For more see: https://sampan.org/2023/leisure/an-interview-with-for-the-beauty-of-the-earth-solutions-to-net-zero-energy-author-frank-c-pao/