Brian Buckley is one of two clean energy interns working with VPIRG. A bona fide energy nerd, Brian has brought valuable research skills, thinking and resources to all things energy – from weatherization to subsidies to renewable energy and much more.
Wanting to learn the ropes and aid on-the-ground solutions to our energy problems, Brian has teamed up with VPIRG’s field department and town energy committees in Thetford and Montpelier to craft localized materials, conduct legal research, and develop outreach strategies to help implement PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy), a financing mechanism for home efficiency and renewable energy projects.
At the state-level, Brian has also played a key role in evaluating, researching, and writing about Vermont’s energy options. He’s had a number of letters to the editor published about wind power as well as subsidy comparisons of renewable energy compared to fossil fuels.
Brian believes that, “It’s our collective responsibility to pursue a more sustainable energy future because we don’t inherit this earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. As the global population grows and our resource constraints become inescapable, clean energy is no longer an option- it’s our only option.”
Originally from upstate New York, Brian feels at home in Vermont’s hills, farms and forests. He spends his free-time riding his motorcycle, snowboarding, and hiking with his dog, Mingus. This fall he’ll dive into another hands-on internship with Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (the administrator of Efficiency Vermont) in their legal department. Best of luck, Brian!