U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on Monday, March 17 will lead a bipartisan congressional field hearing in Tucson about the potential of making solar energy a significant source of electric generating capacity in the United States.
Giffords and five members of Congress will hear testimony from six expert witnesses. The hearing will focus on solar technologies, energy transmission and regulatory issues, and the role of government and the private sector in the development of utility-scale solar power.
The two-hour hearing will be followed by a question and answer session during which members of the public may pose questions to the witnesses.
Providing testimony will be: Mark Mehos of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Tom Hansen of Tucson Electric Power, Barbara Lockwood of Arizona Public Service Company, Kate Maracas of Abengoa Solar, Valerie Rauluk of Venture Catalyst Inc., and Joe Kastner of MMA Renewable Ventures.
Giffords, a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, will lead the hearing in her capacity as vice-chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. Joining her on the panel will be U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon of Tennessee, chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, and four committee members: U.S. Reps. Harry Mitchell of Arizona, Dan Lipinski of Illinois, Jim Matheson of Utah, and Ralph Hall of Texas.
The hearing begins at 12:30 p.m., Monday, March 17 in the Pima County Administration Building Hearing Room, 130 W. Congress Street.