Senator Ed Markey (MA) addresses a Sun Day weekend rally on the National Mall.
Parade and press conference bring together legislators and activists to launch a weekend of over 300 events across 50 states with the goal of promoting cheap, reliable solar energy. CCAN sponsors 9 events in the DMV region.
WASHINGTON, DC — The first-ever electric vehicle (EV) parade near the U.S. Capitol was held today to kick off a historic campaign for greater solar energy deployment worldwide. This initial “Sun Day” weekend celebration featured dozens of electric cars, bikes, and scooters decorated with pro-solar messages, circling on the National Mall. Just prior to the EV parade’s arrival, Congressional and state legislators joined clean energy and climate activists at a press conference to call for broader use of clean energy and a faster transition away from fossil fuels.
At the press conference, a historic solar hot water panel, originally installed on the White House roof by President Jimmy Carter over 45 years ago and still operational, was displayed as a symbol of America’s enduring potential for clean energy leadership. View the full array of inspiring events nationwide on the Third Act “Sun Day” webpage.
Watch a recording of the live stream HERE.
“Solar and wind are the most affordable sources of electricity in our country,” said U.S Senator Ed Markey (MA). “Last year 94 percent of all new electrical generation installed in the United States was wind and solar and battery storage technologies. That’s what builds the fear into the coal and natural gas industry’s heart, they can see it coming. Because if it’s 94 percent then 95 percent, year after year, we have replaced the dependence which we’ve had upon coal and natural gas. So that’s our job. Last year 50,000 new megawatts of solar was installed in the United States. In 2009 we had a cumulative total of 2,000 megawatts…. We’re coming out on Sun Day, we’re letting everyone know that if they are not going away, we’re not going away. We’re on the right side of history.”
“As Virginia and the entire country are facing increasing energy demand, solar is one of the cheapest and quickest ways to develop energy generation to meet this coming demand,” said Delegate Rip Sullivan, 6th District, Virginia House of Delegates. “Outside of just providing energy, these projects help families and communities by providing a critical source of income while also supporting local schools, emergency response programs, and much more through the revenue to localities. There is no doubt that the path to affordable and reliable energy depends on the continued development and installation of solar.”
“Solar power isn’t just a clean energy issue,” said Laurie Welch, a leader with the volunteer group Third Act Maryland. “It’s a housing affordability issue. Rooftop and community solar lower utility bills, which means residents have more money to cover their rent or mortgage. As our founder, Bill McKibben, says, ‘Renewables are no longer an ‘alternative’ energy – not Whole Foods. Renewables are now the Costco of energy – cheap, available, and ready to go!’”
“Solar is the cheapest and fastest-to-build source of new power, with enormous potential to cut energy bills, create jobs, and help us tackle the climate crisis,” said Charles Harper, Power Sector Senior Policy Lead at Evergreen Action. “Fossil fuel interests know that the promise of solar and other clean energy technologies threatens their bottom line, so they’ve tried to shut it down at every turn. But the momentum is too great, and we won’t let them. This first Sun Day is about celebrating how far we’ve come — and building the people power we need to push our leaders to deliver even more clean energy now.”
“Solar power is not new to America; 45 years ago, President Jimmy Carter installed solar hot water panels on the White House roof,” said Mike Tidwell, executive director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN). “One of those panels is here today, and it’s still operational. Think about that, a panel built almost 50 years ago is still able to harness free power from the most abundant resource in our solar system, whereas fossil fuels require endless costly searches for a new supply and pollute our air every time they are burned. Today’s solar systems can provide the cheapest and cleanest energy for your homes and businesses for decades to come. It’s long overdue for solar panels to become the new symbol of America’s clean energy leadership.”
This EV parade and rally in D.C. kicked off a weekend of “Sun Day” actions across America and worldwide – organized by a broad coalition of groups, including Third Act, Fossil Free Media, and others, as well as CCAN. More than 300 events are planned across all 50 states, starting this weekend and extending into October.
In the DMV region, CCAN is sponsoring or co-sponsoring 9 events, ranging from a Sun Day For Peace & The Planet in Virginia to a tour of solar-powered homes across the District. Most activities will culminate on Sunday, September 21, the autumnal equinox, declared International Sun Day. For information about CCAN’s Sun Day events, visit our website.
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Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, and beyond.
