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Sun, Soil, and Streams: A Sustainable Energy Vision for Tuskegee, Alabama

Tuskegee, Alabama, has always been a place where resourcefulness meets opportunity. This is the city that shaped innovators like George Washington Carver, whose work with crops and soil changed agriculture across the South. It’s a place where the land is more than just earth beneath our feet—it’s a foundation for ideas and growth: Holy Ground.

Today, as the nation races toward cleaner energy, Tuskegee stands at a crossroads much like the one Carver faced a century ago. The question isn’t just about honoring our legacy, but about how we use technology and our natural resources to build a future that’s sustainable, prosperous, and uniquely ours.

The Lay of the Land: Tuskegee’s Hidden Energy Wealth 

Let’s start with what we have. Tuskegee is rich in land, but it’s also rich in water. The area is threaded with streams and rivers—like Uphapee Creek, Chewacla Creek, and the headwaters of the Tallapoosa River. These waterways have nourished our farms and powered small mills for generations. And while Alabama’s hills and thick forests often steal the conversation, much of the same open, flat expanses are ideal for both farming and solar energy. According to U.S. Geological Survey data, Macon County—home to Tuskegee—has a higher stream density than much of the state. These waterways aren’t just pretty; they’re potential sources for small-scale hydroelectric projects, irrigation, and even recreation-based economic development. Combine that with our abundant sunlight, and you have the recipe for a unique, hybrid approach to clean energy.

Solar Power: The Next Crop

Solar energy in the U.S. has grown by 25% per year since 2014. Installation costs have dropped by over 40%, thanks to both technology improvements and government incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act. As of June 2024, the Solar Energy Industries Association reports that 200 gigawatts (GW) of solar has been installed, powering 36 million homes. And solar isn’t slowing down: it made up 75% of new U.S. electricity capacity in early 2024. 

Here’s why that matters for Tuskegee: the same wide, flat fields that have made this area a breadbasket could easily become a solar powerhouse. Utility-scale solar projects work best on land that’s clear, dry, flat, and close to existing electrical infrastructure. That’s a dead-on description for much of District 4.

Ideas and Plans We Can Implement Now

1. **Community Solar Farms:** Not every resident can put panels on their roof, but we can build community-owned solar farms on public or cooperative land. Neighbors buy in for a share of the electricity and the savings.

2. Solar + Agriculture (Agrivoltaics): Why choose between crops and solar? We can install panels above low-growing crops, providing both shade and power, and increasing farm income.

3. Small-Scale Hydroelectric: Our streams may not power entire cities, but small, modern hydro-systems can provide steady, renewable energy for schools, municipal buildings, or local businesses.

4. Solar Training and Jobs: By partnering with Tuskegee University and local orgs, we can create training programs for solar installation and maintenance. These are good-paying jobs that shouldn't be outsourced.

5. Local Innovation Hubs: Inspired by Carver’s spirit, Tuskegee can become a center for clean-tech experiments—whether it’s testing new solar panel designs, battery storage, or hybrid energy systems using our land and water.

The Carver Ethos: Innovate, Don’t Imitate

George Washington Carver didn’t just replicate what others were doing; he looked at what Tuskegee had—peanuts, sweet potatoes, clay, and, most importantly, people—and made something new. That’s the spirit we need as we face the twin challenges of economic growth and climate change. By using our streams for small-scale hydro, our fields for solar, and our brains for new ideas, Tuskegee can lead the Black Belt into a new era of clean, community-driven development. We have the land. We have the water. We have the sun. And we have a history of turning what we have into something extraordinary.

Truly, it’s our turn to set the blueprint!!!  

-Joshua Lewis

For The People...

There are moments in every life when you’re called to stand up for what’s right, even when the odds are stacked against you. My journey as an advocate for my community began long before my family and I made our home in Tuskegee.

In those early years, back when we lived Auburn, I learned the true meaning of fighting for community—what it means to look out for your neighbors, to listen, and to fight for what’s fair. In 2020, I had the honor of serving as chair of the local NAACP. That role was more than a title. It was a calling—a charge to rebuild, to organize, and to ensure that every voice in our community was heard. When the redistricting process began in 2021, I stepped forward once again, this time as chair of Redistricting. My team and I knew the stakes. We saw firsthand the lengths some would go to silence our vote, to redraw lines that would erase Black voices from the conversation. We stood in defiance of those efforts. We educated our neighbors, we organized, and we demanded fair maps that reflected the diversity and strength of our community.

And now, as a resident of TUSKEGEE, I bring that same energy, that same commitment, to our fight for voting rights and representation here. The struggle for justice knows no boundaries, and neither does my dedication to this cause. We’ve seen the tactics of those who wish to hold us back. Firms like Balch & Bingham worked with the city of Auburn to produce maps that were designed to oppress the citizens, not uplift. Their involvement in state redistricting plans led to a federal three-judge panel rejecting a congressional map that, in their words, “dilutes the voting power of Black residents.” This was not just a technical error; it was a deliberate attempt to undermine the foundation of our democracy. But as Dr. King taught us, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” That arc doesn’t bend on its own. It takes people who are willing to push, to pull, to stand in the gap and say, “Not on my watch.” I am that person! I have been in the trenches—fighting gentrification, resisting voter suppression, and exposing every tool of white supremacy that stands in the way of our progress. My record is not built on promises, but on action. Not only did I fight for my community then, but I am fighting for our community now to have a clean, safe and fun Tuskegee.

Now, I ask for your vote—not just for me, but for our collective future. Vote for a candidate who knows what it means to work for his community. Vote for someone who has walked the walk, who has never been afraid to speak truth to power, and who will stand shoulder to shoulder with you, fighting for a District 4 where every voice matters. Together, we will not be stagnant. Together, we will go 4ward!