Wilder School professor, an expert in alternative energy, appointed to Virginia solar and energy storage authority

By Pamela Stallsmith
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

Damian Pitt, Ph.D., an expert in alternative energy and chair of the Urban and Regional Studies and Planning program in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, has been named to the Virginia Solar Energy Development and Energy Storage Authority.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam appointed Pitt, an associate professor, to a four-year term on the 15-member board.

Among Pitt’s areas of expertise are solar energy policy and climate action planning. He recently released two reports that address policy issues around smaller scale, distributed photovoltaic energy systems, such as those found on rooftops.

Pitt is also a Translational Research Fellow through the Wilder School’s Office of Public Policy Outreach in the Center for Public Policy, which connects faculty members from across VCU with state lawmakers to explain their research and its public policy implications.

“I’m very honored by this appointment, and to be recognized for my work on solar energy. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on the authority to identify opportunities for expanding solar energy use and energy storage in the commonwealth,” Pitt said. “I’m particularly interested in bringing a focus on small-scale, distributed solar energy, which is a tremendous opportunity area for Virginia if we can get the right policy mechanisms in place.”