Fire To Wires: NEST’s Energy Chairman Speaks on the Electrotech Revolution

Joe Hus, Chair of the Energy Committee for the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force (NEST), spoke to our BLAST summer interns on Wednesday, June 10. Hus has devoted much of his time and expertise to informing the

community about the benefits of adopting renewable energy sources. 

“We are on the verge of a huge energy transition that most people just don’t know about,” Hus said in an interview with Phoenix, a Climate Communication Intern.

Contrary to popular belief, solar is the #1 source of energy being added to the grid globally. It just so happens that the United States is not lining up with global trends. Hus’s presentation, “Fire to Wires” highlighted three reasons why the electrotech transition is inevitable.

A common misconception about renewable energy sources is that they are more expensive than traditional fossil fuels. If this were true, no one would be adopting these energy sources. Hus explained that solar energy is a technology that follows a “learning curve” called Wright’s Law. Wright’s Law states that as cumulative production of a particular technology increases, its cost will decline at a consistent rate over time. In fact, Our World Data estimates that “solar panel prices have fallen by around 20% every time global capacity doubled.” 

Hus also noted that electric vehicles are more efficient than those powered by fossil fuels. A shocking example of this, is that a combustion engine vehicle uses more energy sitting idly than an electric vehicle driving at 55 miles per hour. 

Other factors contributing to the electrotech revolution are geopolitical drivers. Fossil fuels prices are volatile and unpredictable. One week you may fill up your gas tank for $50, and the next you’re paying double. 75% of countries are net importers of fossil fuels, leaving them susceptible to the 25% of exporters including the United States and Russia. Now that solar energy is a cheaper alternative to fossil fuels, many of the net importers of fossil fuels are already making the transition. 

Despite this, government policies can slow down the inevitable transition. Over the past year, the United States has increased subsidies for fossil fuels and cut funding for renewable energy projects. Luckily, Illinois is a leader in energy laws, ensuring the state is prepared to adopt solar and other renewable energy sources. 

However, locally we have a problem. Under our current contract with the IMEA, Naperville’s energy provider, “Naperville emits 3.5 billion pounds of greenhouse gases every year.” In 2025, 86% of the electricity IMEA generated came from burning coal.

“If you’re resident here in Naperville, right now, your home emits about twice the carbon dioxide of the DuPage county average,” Hus said.

With the transition on the horizon, it is more important now than ever to ensure Naperville is not left behind. One of the best things we can do as individuals is to make our concerns known. We encourage you to use your voice to contact your city council persons and state officials about climate and environmental issues. Later this summer, Naperville-Focused Local Climate Action

team will be sharing more information about how you can advocate for a rapid transition to clean energy, so stay tuned!

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