Phyllis Cuttino to Lead Local Solar for All
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today a coalition of rooftop and community solar companies announced Phyllis Cuttino will lead its Local Solar for All (LS4A) campaign. Focused on creating a modern and equitable distributed energy grid, LS4A was incubated within Coalition for Community Solar Access and is comprised of CCSA, its members, rooftop solar and storage companies, and other NGOs. Cuttino has more than 15 years of leadership and experience directing federal energy and climate related efforts for organizations such as the Climate Action Campaign, Climate Nexus, and the Pew Charitable Trusts.
“We are thrilled to have someone with Phyllis’ breadth of clean energy and advocacy experience and expertise lead Local Solar for All,” said Jeff Cramer, Executive Director, CCSA. “Her work at the federal and state levels will be crucial as states and the US Department of Energy double down on deploying distributed solar to achieve ambitious clean energy, equity, and access goals.”
Most recently, Cuttino has been consulting on policy, advocacy, and communications for a variety of foundation, corporate, association, campaign, and university clients. Prior to that, she served as Executive Director of the Climate Action Campaign, where she led an effort securing adoption of durable federal climate, clean air, and renewable energy policy by 14 of the nation’s leading environmental, health and environmental justice NGOs and dozens of partners.
“I’m looking forward to joining Local Solar for All and working with its members and partners to make distributed energy –- rooftop and community solar and battery storage – accessible and available to all ratepayers,” Cuttino said.
Prior to her time at the Climate Action Campaign, Cuttino served as a Managing Director at Climate Nexus, launching its Issues Management unit dedicated to identifying emerging opportunities and threats to climate and clean energy policy progress at the state, national, and international levels. She also served as the Director of the Pew Charitable Trusts’ sustainability initiatives, overseeing its climate, clean energy, sustainability, and adaptation efforts.
In her role with LS4A, Cuttino will manage the coalition’s work to promote federal and state policies supporting the accelerated deployment of local solar and storage and oversee federal affairs efforts for both CCSA and the Local Solar for All Campaign.
With a focus on creating a modern distributed energy grid that is affordable and equitable, Local Solar for All strives to enable all Americans to access solar energy, whether they be renters, homeowners, or small business owners. The campaign produces an array of research to inform and educate policymakers about the cost-saving benefits of distributed generation, including:
The critical role distributed solar and storage can play in achieving President Biden’s climate and equity goals at the lowest cost;
The power of an expanded local solar program to save New York $28 billion by 2050 in accordance with Governor Hochul’s distributed generation targets; and
The savings that sustained growth of local solar and storage can provide to California ratepayers: $120B.
“Sunrun is excited to see the work of Local Solar For All continue with Phyllis’s extensive campaign experience,” said Evan Dube, Vice President, Public Policy, Sunrun. “It’s vital that our policymakers and regulators weigh the value of local solar and batteries to create a resilient, clean energy future for the next generations. We look forward to continued work with the Local Solar For All coalition to make our vision of a clean energy economy and home electrification with local solar and batteries a reality for every American.”
“To make an impact on climate change, decision makers and the renewables industry need to come together to enable homeowners to power nearly every aspect of their lives with the sun," said Suzanne Leta, head of policy and strategy, SunPower. "We're excited to welcome Phyllis to Local Solar for All, whose expertise will be instrumental in educating decision makers about the well-researched benefits of solar from cost savings to resiliency and job creation."
MEDIA CONTACT:
Meredith Montalto
P: 610-322-1703
meredith@ceislermedia.com
ABOUT LOCAL SOLAR FOR ALL
Local Solar for All’s mission is to create a safer, more affordable, and equitable way to supply power to our communities. The campaign is focused on promoting the benefits of local clean energy production and encouraging federal and state governments to accelerate the development of a more decentralized, distributed energy system. The campaign is being run by solar energy and storage companies, clean energy industry groups, and non-profits including the Coalition for Community Solar Access, Vote Solar, Solar United Neighbors, Sunrun, SunPower, Engie, IGS, and Sunnova. For more information, visit www.localsolarforall.org.
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