Summer Solar Initiative

SSI - Full Team Picture

(List of people involved with the SSI (left to right): Center President Kevin Daehnke, Program Manager Frank Lapinski, SSI Participant Jason Chu, SSI Participant Jocelyn Chin, PL Shawn-ryan Bootsma, SSI Participant Aliris Tang, PL Alina Ho, PL Taylor Cunningham, and PL Josh Anumolu; Not pictured SSI Participants include: Calvin Aliferov, Tatjana Lechner, Wilson Morse, Pearce Nash)

In partnership with the Center for Strategic Policy Innovation, Frank Lapinski (a Wharton junior and president of the Wharton Undergraduate Energy Group) has developed and coordinated the Summer Solar Initiative (SSI). The program was focused on helping interns learn more about the policy and real-world potential of the community solar and energy resiliency space.

Running from May to late August 2021, the program gave 12 UPenn interns a deep look into the world of community solar development and solar energy policy. Their research and tasks ranged from finding solar and energy resiliency funding opportunities from federal sources (e.g., the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, the federal government’s Justice40 Initiative) to researching the $1 Trillion federal Infrastructure Bill, and even starting the feasibility modeling of solar and energy storage for a variety of potentially viable solar energy sites across the United States. The Project Leads (PLs) were Shawn-Ryan Bootsma (a junior in Wharton) and Josh Anumolu (a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences) leading the feasibility consulting teams, Taylor Cunningham (a junior in the School of Engineering and Applied Science) leading the budget and department research committee, and Alina Ho (a sophomore in the School of Engineering and Applied Science) leading the funding research committee.

Kevin Daehnke, the founder and president of the Center, noted that

“The Summer Solar Initiative was incredibly helpful in propagating the development and interest of talented college students in helping communities build a cleaner and more resilient energy future. Frank, his four Project Leads, and their team of UPenn interns have done truly fantastic work this summer. They have helped us make significant strides toward reaching several goals of the Center and our partners.”

Through their efforts, the interns researched over thirty-five grant and loan funding opportunities worth as much as $14 million, investigated and mapped out the Justice 40 initiative along with seven different federal Executive Departments/Agencies and their programs, and began the feasibility modeling process for the development of fourteen different solar PV and energy storage sites in several different states. Students have also done work on specific projects under development by the Center and its partners. For instance, Jocelyn Chin, a junior in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, is assisting the Center - and Dr. Sharlissa Moore (of Michigan State University) – in research efforts regarding community acceptance of a proposed solar energy/resiliency project that will be located within the city limits of a major city in Michigan.

Along with this grant/program research and project development work, the SSI interns attended several Center-sponsored training sessions and webinars. These online sessions included a variety of professionals, ranging from energy project developers, grant research and writing experts, experts in designing architecturally and aesthetically pleasing solar energy buildout and community outreach, to expert energy financiers.

“This program has achieved and surpassed its goals of being an opportunity for students to learn more about the energy space. I believe it will have long-lasting impacts on the interns and on the communities which will benefit from our work,” says Frank.

If you’re interested in joining the Wharton Undergraduate Energy Group, would like to hear more about the SSI, or are interested in working with the Center in the Fall, reach out to Frank at fml547@wharton.upenn.edu.