This Week in Solar: Aaron sits down with Dan Crawford, Senior Vice President at Echo Communications Advisors. Crawford breaks down why energy prices have become the hottest political issue in the country, offers advice for placing op-eds in key local publications, and explains why facts alone are no longer enough to win legislative battles.
Crawford reflects on the shifting political landscape, noting that the 2025 elections in New Jersey, Virginia, and Georgia prove that energy affordability is now a primary driver for voters.
He argues that the clean energy industry has a unique opportunity to flip the script and present itself differently. Solar has changed from a fringe technology people loved for climate-saving reasons to an economic force: it is now the fastest, cheapest way to get reliable power onto the grid.
Throughout the conversation, Crawford emphasizes that the industry must stop assuming the facts will speak for themselves. Drawing on lessons from recent legislative fights, he points out that while clean energy projects brought a ton of investment to red districts, the economic reality wasn’t enough to sway legislators in Washington who voted to pass the One Big, Beautiful Bill.
He urges solar companies to build genuine political muscle (as the oil and gas lobby does) by telling emotional, human-centric stories rather than relying solely on facts and statistics.
For professionals looking to increase their PR skills, Crawford offers practical advice on getting noticed in today’s media landscape. He warns against the “spray and pray” method of pitching op-eds to major national outlets and offers a more targeted approach that’s worked for his company. He advocates for targeting niche publications and local papers where specific audiences and policymakers are actually looking.
Finally, Crawford looks towards the future and offers an optimistic vision of what the world of clean energy will look like 80 years from now.
Quotes From the Episode
“Energy prices are not going away as an issue. Voters see the increases on their bills, and they are looking for someone to blame and someone to fix it.”
– Dan Crawford
“Clean energy has flipped from being something people supported for climate reasons to something most voters support because they want cheaper electricity.”
– Dan Crawford
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