The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, in association with the Arkansas Citizens’ Climate League, will present The River Valley Green Energy and Education Workshop from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, October 20, 2022, at the UAFS Center for Economic Development in the Bakery District.
The workshop aims to help concerned citizens, grassroots organizations, chambers of commerce, academics, students, practitioners, and industry groups dissect, discuss, and disseminate information on green energy issues and their application to the River Valley.
Dr. Paulette Meikle, Associate Dean and Professor of Sociology at UAFS, will lead the welcome, as well as a 9:35 presentation about the River Valley Green Energy and Education Program, a project designed to be home to various energy equity programs serving communities across the River Valley and developing green energy community partnerships across Arkansas.
During a 12:30 session titled Energy Efficiency Plans, Carey Tucker, Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration Finance & Administration and Robert Airo, Executive Director of Plant Operations, will join Jarred Rego, Vice Mayor of Fort Smith, to discuss the ways the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith is leading the way in energy efficiency in the River Valley by implementing an innovative energy conservation plan designed to reduce energy use on campus and improve building performance. This is part of a long-term plan for energy savings and green energy generation.
“Inspiration for Green Energy and the Green Energy workshop, in particular, comes from the legacy I want to leave behind for my children and grandchildren. I want them to know that I have done everything I can to preserve our earth, thereby allowing them the privilege of the beauty I personally have experienced and enjoyed in my lifetime,” said Ruthie McCrae, member of the planning committee for the workshop. “I have witnessed firsthand in countries like Haiti and Honduras where there is little electric power, and what exists is often unreliable. A small stand-alone solar system in a school or church(usually the center of the community) can breathe life into an area whose day usually ends when the sun goes down."
In addition to sharing information about green energy practices and innovations, the workshop aims to promote the development and use of green energy in the River Valley, contemplate ways UAFS and the City of Fort Smith can serve as leaders in green energy and energy efficiency plans, and discuss how green energy can impact low-income families.
“I am concerned for low-income families who cannot afford energy-efficient technology. They are stuck with higher energy bills to pay for their less efficient refrigerators, ovens, and air conditioning. And electric companies are charging more for the energy to run these inefficient appliances,” said Leah Lane, another member of the planning committee. “These families often live in places most affected by intense weather episodes caused by fossil fuel burning for electrical production. They need access to cost-efficient, cost-stable energy, and not energy produced with life-risking methods.”
The program includes the following:
9:25 Green Energy and Education Workshop Goals
Jan Schaper, Program and Education Director, Arkansas Citizens' Climate League, will discussing and disseminate information on River Valley green energy issues including addressing energy insecurity and efficiency, promoting green energy utilization, contemplating local energy transition plans, exploring income-inclusive energy transition participation, and networking.
9:35 Opportunities for Green Energy and Education in the River Valley: The River Valley Green Energy and Education Program
A presentation of the River Valley Green Energy and Education Program (RV-GEEP), a project designed to be home to various energy equity programs serving communities across the River Valley and developing green energy community partnerships across Arkansas. Through this project, communities will be able to; take advantage of green energy opportunities, establish educational programs, and change the energy usage culture so that River Valley communities and beyond can reduce dependency on conventional energy generation.
10:15 Keynote Address:
John Coleman, Regional Director of Business Development, Entegrity, will discuss Green Energy in Arkansas: Opportunities, Gaps, and Intervention: Existing legislation in Arkansas and how it dovetails with FERC 2222 and the Inflation Reduction Act to position Arkansas as a national leader in the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors. In addition, he will host a discussion on the explosion of solar projects in Arkansas over the past three years.
12:30 Concurrent Sessions:
- State of Energy Insecurity in the River Valley
- Renewables and Energy Efficiency in the River Valley
- Financing Renewable Energy Infrastructure
- Energy Efficiency Plans: UAFS and the City of Fort Smith
- Weatherization - Homes/Buildings
2:30 Panel Discussion for Green Energy and Education in the River Valley
Jo Elsken, Citizens' Climate Lobby, Fort Smith Chapter Leader will moderate
The event is sponsored by Arvest and First National banks of Fort Smith.