Clean Energy Action

PO Box 1399
Boulder, CO 80306
info@cleanenergyaction.org

03/22/2016

Dear Clean Energy Action,

We at Solar First inc. are dedicated to the creation of clean energy solutions that compete with
fossil fuel industries and provide a brighter future for our children and our childrens children.
That is why we are proposing this new $5,182,550 project to continue our path towards
providing clean energy to the world. Much like you at clean energy action, Solar First inc.
envisions a world without fossil fuels where the energy we create does not come at the cost of
our future.
To reach this mutual goal what we are proposing is the construction of an adjoining lab and solar
farm complex where solar energy can be produced and solar technology can be refined. After
establishment, we hope to use the clean energy we create to fuel our research projects through its
sale on the energy market. This site will be a constant hub of research and innovation where we
will make solar solutions more efficient, grow solar energy as a competitive energy source, and
work to bring about our dream of eliminating the dependence on fossil fuels that exists in our
society today. With your donation we will be one step closer towards our mutual goals and a
future of clean reliable energy.
Solar First inc. has already completed numerous projects all around the world. With a proven
track record of creating clean energy in a grand variety of situations and locations we would like
to bring this new project to the nearby state of New Mexico. New Mexico is a fantastic sight for
the development and establishment of solar energy. With approximately 280 sunny days per year
and relatively low land prices, New Mexico is the perfect place for our next project. This is
where we believe that we will be able to effectively study and help create the transition from
fossil fuels to clean renewable solar power.

Please, help us create a better tomorrow.

Sincerely,
Craig Still, Director of Photovoltaic Energy Research Solutions

Current Situation
Electricity is one of the most important commodities in our world today. Ever since we have
harnessed electrical power we have used it to power our homes, our businesses, and everything
else from civilian aircraft to warships. Without electrical power we would not be able to
complete simple tasks, like doing laundry, washing dishes, and lighting our homes efficiently.
Some of the more complicated applications of electricity, like computers and all other advanced
electronics, would simply be nonexistent. In short power is very important to the everyday lives
of everyone who lives in the modern world. So the ways in which we harvest power should also
be of the utmost importance.
For decades we have known that the ways in which we harvest power through unrenewable
resources are simply unsustainable. The burning of coal, which produces 33% of energy in the
United States today (US Energy Information Administration), is also the single greatest air
polluter in the world. In a typical 500 megawatt coal plant 1.4 million tons of coal are burned
each year producing smog, soot, acid rain, greenhouse gasses, and toxic air emissions (Union of
Concerned Scientists). These effects exact a terrible price for the energy which we harness from
coal. They destroy ecosystems, cause global warming, and make the very air which we rely on
for survival more and more toxic.
Fossil fuels like coal still make up about 67% of all the energy produced in the United States (US
Energy Information Administration). Although strides have been made, the development of
renewable energy has been hindered. Whether by lack of funding, corporate protectionism, or
simple lack of initiative, renewable power sources,
like solar power, are not nearly as developed as
they should be. Thirty years ago we said that with
development solar power could be made into a
reliable energy source and yet today solar tech has
made little progress. What we need today are
people who are willing to work with and invest in
renewable energy and give it the time it needs to provide a reliable clean alternative.

Here at First Solar inc. we are dedicated to the development of clean energy. We are a top rated
solar contracter that is looking to start a new and ambitious project in the state of New Mexico.
We want to create a large, new, and self-sustaining solar farm and lab complex where solar
energy can be produced and developed for use in residential areas. Currently, we are at a
crossroads, in fifty years fossil fuel resources will no longer be viable. This necessitates a need to
begin using and developing other resources. New Mexicos massive potential for solar power
makes it an ideal place to use and develop solar energy. Todays innovations are tomorrows
future and it is time to create a cleaner future for everyone.

Project Plan:
Our idea for this project is simple, yet it will take a lot of funding and commitment to complete.
We want to create a self-sustaining experimental solar power farm that directly provides power
to residential units. At this farm we will create a lab
complex where we can investigate solar powers
potential and innovate. Here we plan to explore
solar technologies both experimental and tried-andtrue, at the same time, growing and improving our
solar farm to provide more clean and reliable
power for the constituents we serve. Here we plan
to innovate solar technologies in ways the world has never seen before, and change the landscape
of the energy industry.
Another concept behind this project is to further our efforts to create a clean energy company
that competes with the deeply entrenched fossil fuel companies of today. With the creation of
this new solar power plant, we will expand our brand and hopefully create a large customer base.
This in turn will create more funding for our research and the expansion of our solar power plant,
making us a step closer to beating fossil fuel companies at their own game.

Goal 1) Create and establish an active solar farm that

supplies energy to residential areas.

Building and installing a regular solar farm is an expensive venture, and what we are planning
will be even more so. For this particular goal, what we are proposing is the installation of 3 acres
of solar power plant and the infrastructure necessary to connect it to the power grid. Our initial
solar farm would create enough energy to power about 94 homes as it takes about 2.8 acres to
create 1 GWh of solar energy per year (Energy Manager Today). This solar farm will actively
produce energy and hopefully create revenue to be used in experiments and renovations

Goal 2) Create an active lab complex alongside our solar

farm
Here we will not only be able to innovate and develop new solar technologies, but we will also
be able to constantly gather data from our nearby solar farm. Through this constant data stream
we will be able to study the different factors that affect the output of our solar generators.
Through this information our research will be constantly linked to an evolving data stream
coming from the neighboring solar farm. The main focus behind this lab complex is to conduct
research on current and experimental forms of solar energy.

Action Plan
We will begin by purchasing 5 acres of land for our solar farm. The average value of
undeveloped real-estate in New Mexico is about
510 dollars per acre (USDA). This would mean that
purchasing the land necessary for our initial
programs would cost about $2,550. The installation
of the solar panels on the other hand would likely be
much more expensive. To install one acre of solar
power in the United States is about 500,000 dollars
(Innovative Solar Systems). This implies that to install our initial 3 acres of solar power would
cost about 1,500,000 dollars. Then we will need to create the infrastructure required to connect to
the existing power grid. This cost is uncertain, since we do not know how far from the existing
grid we will be constructing our plant. Likely we will need to construct a long enough length of
transmission line to reach a nearby substation. If we purchase our land wisely we can likely be

within 1-2 miles of a substation. These lines will cost about 825,000 dollars to construct per mile
(Puget Sound Energy).
After we have constructed our initial plant we plan on selling the power it produces and using the
money to develop and expand the plant. Eventually we will be able to make the solar plant larger
and power more homes. The next step will be to accomplish goal #2 and create our lab facility
alongside our solar power plant. We estimate the total cost of construction for this lab to be
2,000,000 dollars, not including an estimated 30,000 dollars to purchase lab equipment. We plan
on putting the construction of this lab on a one year schedule, after which the lab will be
functional and our project complete. These costs do not include the costs of finding researchers
and assistants to work in the lab.

Budget and Schedule

Project begins June 1st 2016
1.

Locate and purchase appropriate amounts of land:

a. Estimated Cost: $2,550
b. Estimated completion date: September 1st 2016

2.

Find employees and materials necessary for the installation of our solar plant:
a. Estimated Cost: (Included in solar panel construction cost)
b. Estimated completion date: September 1st 2016

3.

Installation of the initial 3 acre solar plant:

a. Estimated Cost: $1,500,000
b. Estimated completion date: March 1st 2017

4.

Construction of power infrastructure:

a. Estimated Cost: $1,650,000
b. Completion Date June 1st 2017

Power production and sale begins here.

5.

Locate materials contractors and materials for the solar laboratory:

a. Estimated cost: Included in total laboratory construction cost
b. Estimated completion date: July 1st 2017

6.

Construction of the lab facility itself:

a. Total estimated cost: $2,000,000
b. Estimated completion date: May 1st 2018

7.

Purchase of lab equipment:

a. Estimated cost: $30,000
b. Estimated completion date: June 1st 2018

Project completion date: June 1st 2018

Estimated Total Cost: $5,182,550
(Researchers, Directors, and Engineers, will be full time professionals and employees of Solar
First inc. whose salaries are covered by our organization.)

Qualifications:
First Solar inc. is a company based in Tempe Arizona that has installed more than 10 GW of
solar energy worldwide. We pride ourselves in being one of the most effective and financially
stable solar contractors in the world. We are dedicated to the creation of clean, reliable, and
cheap solar energy on a global scale, and the development of that energy is paramount to our
cause. We have the financial stability to take on projects and we are ready to develop solar
energy to its maximum potential.
We have a great deal of experience developing
solar energy all around the world. From Chile to
Australia First Solar inc. has already
successfully completed massive projects in the
field of solar energy. Here in New Mexico we
promise to uphold our standards of quality and
effectiveness that we have already demonstrated
around the world. We will take the time and the resources necessary to complete a high quality
project that will provide clean reliable energy to New Mexico Homes, and facilitate further
research into solar solutions.

Personally, as director of research solutions, I have overseen many of Solar First inc. cutting
edge solar products. I will be directly overseeing this project and making sure that it becomes the
advanced research facility that it is meant to be. I have been working with Solar First inc. for 15
years and I am deeply familiar with solar energy projects and research. I look forward to working
directly with all of our donors and giving them constant updates on the status of this project. As
the director of this project I assure you that your donation will be valued and used professionally.
My personal resume is attached in appendix A.

Conclusion (Costs and Benefits):

Switching from nonrenewable to renewable power resources will not be easy. Clean reliable
energy is still being developed and corporate fossil fuel companies are not going to give up their
hold on the energy market without a fight. Along with a significant monetary investment this
project will also take time and dedication. Fortunately renewable energy has great potential. As
we invest into these kinds of energy they will develop and, eventually, there is no doubt that our
investments will be returned. Along with the obvious environmental benefits I sincerely believe
that energy sources like solar energy are more accessible, abundant, and reliable than the various
fuels we burn for power today.
With help and an investment from Clean Energy Action, we can begin creating a self-sustaining
industry that will one day power this planet in ways that will not destroy it. One thing that we
know for certain is that fossil fuels, and the capacity to which we can use them, are limited, and
if we keep putting clean energy off for later it may be too late when we finally get around to it.
Fortunately it is not too late for us to get started on this long road to a sustainable future. With
the creation of solar farms, as proposed above, we can give renewable energy the momentum it
needs to compete in the energy industry. At the moment energies like solar power are expensive
and less readily available than fossil fuels, but that can all change. If your organization invests in
our project today think about the returns of the future. As our solar farms become more efficient,
they will become more manageable, and eventually harvesting solar energy will be even more
cost efficient than mining coal.

When you consider this proposal remember that any donation you make is an investment. It is an
investment not only in the future of this planet, but also the future of the entire energy industry.
Here at First Solar inc. we are passionately committed to creating a safe and clean energy
industry that can compete with fossil fuels on the open market. To reach this goal will take some
development but we are confident that as the years go on we will be able to pioneer our way to
success. If you become one of our donors you can be secure in the fact that you invested in a
brighter and cleaner future for your children and grandchildren. We have a dream that one day
this world will not be dependent on the fossil fuels that are destroying it. Please help us make
this dream a reality.

Appendix A: Resume
Craig Still
UNM SRC 974, 2700 Campus Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106-8000
Objective:
Seeking a research position where I can fully utilize and further my biochemistry
education
Education:
B.S. In Biochemistry with a minor in Anthropology
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Degree Expected: May 2019
Honors College Accolade
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Degree Expected: May 2019
High School Diploma with NHS (National Honors Society) Honors
Crescent Valley High School, Corvallis, OR
Degree Received: June 2015
Abilities:
1)

Lab Training:

Has conducted and is familiar with experiments in a lab setting. Lab skills include procedure
formation, data collection, and report writing. Is also fluent in the use of analytical devices such
as spectrometers, pH sensors, pressure sensors, and calorimeters.
2)

Leadership and Teamwork Skills:

Has experience in the large group leadership, leading groups of up to 60 members. Has also
experienced working successfully in small and large teams on group collaborations
3)

Marketing Skills

Has experience in the marketing and salesmanship field working with a sales team and
introducing people to a product.
Experience:
Senior Drum Major

September 2014- May 2015

Crescent Valley High School

Corvallis OR

Managed and led groups of up to 60 members in the Crescent Valley High School Pep
and Marching bands. Duties include set creation, personnel management, and directing of bands
College Works Painting Marketing Rep

May- August 2015

Corvallis and Albany OR

Worked with College Works Painting to canvas neighborhoods and locate potential
clients. Duties include presentation of product, working with a sales team, and accumulation of
client information.

Appendix B: Works Cited

"Coal Generates 44% of Our Electricity, and Is the Single Biggest Air Polluter in the U.S."
Union of Concerned Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. Apr. 2016.
"Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels - Conserve Energy Future." ConserveEnergyFuture. N.p., 19 Jan.
2013. Web. Apr. 2016.
"Energy Management News | Energy Manager Today." Energy Manager Today. N.p., n.d. Web.
15 Apr. 2016.
"History of Clean Energy Action." Clean Energy Action. N.p., 28 Jan. 2014. Web. Apr. 2016.
Lines., Bution, and * A Kilovolt (Kv) Is Equal To 1,000 Volts Of El. PSE's Power Lines (n.d.):
n. pag. Web. Apr. 2016.
"Solar Farm Projects." Innovative Solar Systems. N.p., n.d. Web. Apr. 2016.
"Taking Energy Forward." About Us. N.p., n.d. Web. Apr. 2016.
USDA Land Values. N.p.: n.p., 1965. Web.

"U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis." What Is
U.S. Electricity Generation by Energy Source? N.p., n.d. Web. Apr. 2016.

Proposal Project Reflection.

The proposal project has been a very interesting and educational experience for me. For
one I got to investigate the costs and processes behind the construction of a solar power plant,
something that I have always been interested in. Another thing that I got to do was improve some
of my professional skills, such as writing resumes and cover letters, which I have always had
trouble with. It was also exciting to experience the solar power industry, look at where it is
headed, and determine the objectives behind the companies that are pioneering solar power
today. The research that I conducted to complete this project will definitely be useful in any
future exploration of the energy industry that I may fancy. In this project I also examined some
truly frightening aspects of energy production today. Initially I knew many harmful byproducts
were produced from the burning of fossil fuels, but until I completed my research for this project
I did not have a complete picture of how devastating these effects are.
As far as learning outcomes go I think this project was focused on analyzing rhetorical
situation, creating documents, and presenting documents in different modes. One of the most
important parts of this project was the recognition of audience and designing the proposal to fit
said audience. To do this I looked up the organization from which I was requesting funds and
researched their goals and history as an organization. Then I discovered their main goal, which
for CEA (Clean Energy Action) is the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and

designed my project around that goal. This is where presenting and composing documents came
in. I had never wrote a proposal so it was interesting to write in this mode for the first time. The
hardest thing to figure out for this element of the project was how to structure and organize my
budget and project schedule. It was hard to decide whether to put it directly in my project plan,
or make it into its very own appendix. What I eventually decided on was to put said budget and
schedule directly into the project plan. I figured that the more readily that kind of detail was
presented the easier it would be for an organization to understand the project. Overall this project
was a great exercise in rhetorical analyzation and using said analyzation to produce and present a
document.
The section that was the most difficult for me was definitely the qualifications section.
This section was difficult because in reality I, as an individual, am not currently qualified to
supervise a project like the one in my proposal. So for the purposes of the project I ended up
simply making up most of my qualifications. I felt this aspect of my proposal weakened my final
product significantly. To begin I had to make up some sort of position for myself, a position may
or may not really exist. In the future, if I am writing any sort of proposal, it will be for something
that I am qualified to do where my actual qualifications will be applicable. Another part of the
project I found to be difficult was the creation of my budget. Although I was able to locate some
numbers online to make rough estimates for the cost of my project these numbers were merely
estimates. If I were to do this project again I would take a bit more time to narrow down these
estimates into fairly exact numbers.