Jul. 18--Washington, D.C., has not cornered the market on interest in renewable energy. Signs of enthusiasm for alternative energy continue to increase in Walton County. From green builders to EcoBrokers and individual homeowners bent on going green, solar panels and conversations are continuing to pop up.

Fresh from meeting with President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in Washington a few days earlier, John Berger, CEO of Standard Renewable Energy, came to town July 8 and brought with him more than a sunny smile. While his wife and kids were at the beach, Berger donned business attire to do some barnstorming for solar energy that included the Howard Group as well as a roundtable of 10 business people.

Perspectives around the table were offered by several utilities (two from CHELCO and one from Gulf Power), a LEEDS-certified architect (the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design designation), an EcoBroker, the director of a nonprofit renewable energy consortium, as well as the newly-appointed Walton Economic Development Alliance director, Bill Arnett and Dawn Moliterno, CEO of the Walton County Chamber. DeFuniak Springs city manager Kim Kirby was the lone government official attending the WEDAsponsored event held at the Walton County Chamber of Commerce office.

Thomas Knighten, SRE's representative in the region, introduced Berger.

"We are a solutions-driven company, not a productdriven one," Berger said.

Pointing to the impact in the industry of vastly reduced pricing on solar panels, Berger indicated that his company is not involved in the manufacture of any solar products, and will buy and ship them in large quantities from wherever they are cheapest. Most solar panels are not made in the U.S.

He indicated that three objectives are primary in his business: reducing the environmental footprint of energy consumption; decreasing utility bills; and increasing the sustainability and availability of fuels. Quite apart from environmental aspects of the situation, however, Berger reported that Obama and the majority of SRE's customers are most interested in the economic effects of growth in the solar energy industry. So were the Walton County folks represented in the room.

While Berger made the case for the renewable energy industry replacing the automotive industry and real estate development as the best opportunity for local job creation and national economic growth on the horizon, he also stressed the economic factors causing SRE to grow from 50 employees a year ago to more than 225 today.