Good Morning my name is John Christensen, Iam a long time resident and taxpayer ofthe great state ofWV and Iam living proofthat a retired ship's engineer of30yrs. can transition into a renewable energyjob utilizing the same principles to keep the lights on while employing
a different power source, namelythe SUN. Iworkfor a small solar companythat designs, procures, and installs solar energy systems for our neighbors, businesses, and government buildings in eight states and the district ofColumbia. We want to grow with the industry at a steady pace but we wantto branch out into business heretoforethought to be out ofour comfort zone. Our work is a direct result ofthe Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum that has been emphasized in our high schools lately. We hire local college grads, teach them howto do solar installations, permitting, customer assurance, customer care, troubleshooting and problem solving with a team spirit that gives them a sense ofhow to succeed in business and be part of a growing trend in America today. We started with 3 people only six years ago and have grown to employ as many as forty during a particular busy time last year. We have been honored to win several awards in business in this shorttime and have trained several former employees to be ableto starttheir own businesses in direct competition with us and we are proud that we trained them and gotthem started. There is plenty ofwork to go around in orderto ramp up ourindustry to becomethe guiding force for future energy production in America. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, only onequarter ofresidential and commercial rooftops inAmerica are suitable for solar. That creates a big opportunity for crowdsourced and community solar, two modelsthat are gainingtraction in the country. Clean Energy Collective, a Colorado-based community solar developer, suggests that shared solar could more thantriple customer access to PV inthe U.S. But with only 50 megawatts ofcommunity and crowdsourced solar installed, it will take a lot ofregulatory and policy change to unlockthat marketpotential. Think ofall the empty rooftops on buildings, warehouses, stadiums, big box stores and the potential for growth is literally overwhelming. We
are inthe midst ofsomething special here and I am glad I have lived during the time ofsolar energy expansion like no othertime inthe sixty year history ofsolar energy inAmerica. We invented it, we researched and developed it, we loweredthe price through technological advances and economies ofscale and we almost gave it all away to Chinaduringthe BushCheney Administration. The solar industry has thrived during this administration. When it
came time for goverumenthelp we see what goverument can do when itputs its collective mind to it. The DOE has given competitive grants and have helpedto pave the way for lower costs and faster, safer installations. ,the USDA has also providedmuch needed grantsto small business and agriculture inhard pressed regions andthe 30%tax credit uncappedhas giventhe industry and its customers a muchneeded shot inthe armto compete withtraditional energy sources. The presidentthroughthe federal trade commission has stopped the illegal dumping of Chinesepanels onour domestic markets. This is a goverumentthat is doing itsjob.
Lets look at some amazingnumbers oflate.In 2006, U.S. solar installers were putting up a system every 80 minutes. This year, according to GTM Research, they installed a system everyfour minutes. By 2016, there could be a solar PV system deployed in America every 80 seconds.
In2011, the global solar industry had 50 gigawatts ofcapacity installed. By the end of2012, it had surpassed 100 gigawatts

-- with more regions outside Europe becoming increasingly important. By the end of2015, global solar capacity is expected to reach more than 200 gigawatts. With 930 megawatts ofinstallations inthe third quarter of20l3, Americahas already surpassed I0 gigawatts ofcumulative capacity--joining a small club offour countriesthat have reached the milestone. And for the first time in fifteen years, the U.S installed more solar PV than Germany. Twice this pastyear, Germany's wind and solar installations provided 59 percent ofpowerinthe middle ofthe day, while also providingmore than a third ofgeneration throughout the entire day. On one occasion in October, solar peaked at 20.5 gigawatts ofcapacity and wind reached 16.6 gigawatts, with bothprovidingmorethan 436 gigawatt-hours ofelectricity. That forced 23 gigawatts ofconventional powerplants to ramp down. And as GTM Editor Eric Wesoffpointed out, the grid did not explode. And this is only the beginning.

We decided early on to use American Made modules, inverters, and hardware when we install our systems. and bid ourjobs accordingly. We are proud to install Solar World panels and we are proud to promote and emphasize ownership to our customers. Instead of renting power from conventional sources or leasing solar panels for a specified time period we want our customers to own their source ofenergy, and in orderto cut down on system size thus cost to the consumer we emphasize energy efficiency before thejob of installing solar is ever started. Ifwe conserve our energy and then make only what we need then we have reached a state of carbon neutralitythus minimizing our carbon footprints. When Americans invest in their own best interests like buying a home why not include a sticker price for how much the home costs to operate? Ifa home is energy efficient and produces its own power on the roof it stands to reason that its more valuable than the home next door which doesn't do any ofthese things. Highervalue, means highertaxes to support the local economy. My personal story sounds like it is unusual but not for us. Our company decided early on that electric cars were going to be a big hit and powered by the sun made it even better. I canproduce most all of my residential power needs and I drive an electricvehicle which I charge from my rooftop panels. My savings are noticeable, about a hundred and forty dollars a month on electricity and two thousand dollars a year on 

### not buying gasoline, what's notto like? My loan payment is an investment in the powersystem I own and my car runs about 8 times cheaper than buying gasoline. I no longer rent my fuel, I own it.

To denythe existence ofclimate change in the face ofoverwhelmingly convincing facts is not in the best interest of humanity, the planet will survive, we humans may not. I stand in support of the new carbon rules issued by our Environmental Protection Agency in Washington DC. Unlike the politicians from my state that have agreed with the COAL industry WAR ON COAL rhetoric, MANY Thousands ofWV citizens are disappointed and embarrassed by the claims ofour elected leaders in support oftheir benefactors through a legacy of lucrative campaign contributions, they do what they are told in orderto continue to receive the largess of polluting industries, on the ships we called this making blood money. Mostfolks Italk to today are disgusted in the lack of progress on climate change legislation in congress while keeping in tact all the subsidies for fossil fuels which outweigh renewable subsidies significantly. The future is brighterthanks to your new rules, letthe people breath cleaner air and drinkfresh pure water and watch our economy thrive and become healthier once again. Let the deniers be damned! John Christensen 512 Stoney Lick Rd. Martinsburg, WV. 25403 410-499-4873