Solar Today is a print and digital magazine that communicates the data-driven, fierce enthusiasm of the solar power industry to transform our energy use and combat climate change. It is written by experts in our professional community and was founded in 1987. We cover the energy transition that is taking place worldwide, with a central focus on solar power in the United States.
We target high-impact subjects. Industry and government need to draw on the latest research, technologies, and practices to create an equitable and fast energy transformation. Solar Today provides insightful perspectives and data to help solve the problems of that transition. We provide pragmatic, realistic, unfiltered intelligence. Our magazine helps troubleshoot and catalyze the innovation process.
We follow best practices from the American Society of Magazine Editors and other journalism organizations. Fairness and accuracy are key to our success, as described below. We filter out greenwashing claims and science errors. We seek a variety of perspectives, including articles related to socioeconomic diversity.
Our subscribers are often interested in international and global viewpoints. They include around 20,000 solar enthusiasts and/or professionals. Our surveys show they are often at the senior and/or management level. They value debate and provide us with many story ideas.
How to Pitch an Article
Quarterly, we invite contributors to pitch op-ed explainers to us. An op-ed explainer is an opinion piece that is grounded in solid data and/or experience. Our writers’ guidelines describe this hybrid story form. Like most other opinion pieces, these articles are unpaid.
To pitch an article, email two paragraphs summarizing its key points to Kat Friedrich, editor in chief of Solar Today (kfriedrich at ases.org). Please include a one-paragraph bio showing the relevant experience of each author (one bio per coauthor).
We are transparent about our editorial criteria for selecting pitches; this practice supports socioeconomic justice in journalism. We receive around three times as many pitches as we have space to include. Your pitch will be more likely to be selected if it meets the following criteria:
- Is well-conceived and well-structured
- Addresses socioeconomic equity and/or justice
- Aligns with the theme of the issue (our upcoming theme is “How policy shapes the U.S. clean energy economy;” pitches are due on 6/5/2024)
- Fits into one of our existing columns (see below)
- Is written by someone who has a clear voice
- Would accelerate the transition to 100% renewable energy
- Addresses current issues that are of major concern to the U.S. solar industry
- Represents a substantial innovation
- Presents a grounded perspective rather than an abstract one
- Covers information that our audience does not know already
- Is written by an author who will be responsive, constructive, and timely
- Does not contain excessive sales spin
We accept pitches related to:
- Our quarterly issue themes
- Our Solar Living column, which is for homeowners
- Our Student Perspective section, which is about undergraduate students’ ideas and research
- Our Policy Watch column, which focuses on the United States
- Other topics on an occasional basis
We also publish summaries of peer-reviewed research that are 350-450 words long.
We Value Ethics and Transparency
Solar Today participates in the journalism community. We are now aligned with the ethics standards of the American Society of Magazine Editors and the Society of Professional Journalists. Our editor in chief has completed management training with The Open Notebook. She also graduated from the Emerging Leaders Institute at the News Leaders Association. She is also in communication with Trusting News, LION Publishers, the Online News Association, the American Society of Business Publication Editors, the National Association of Science Writers, and other media organizations.
Our revenue derives from memberships, advertisements, and donations. We separate our editorial and advertising processes to ensure that we have an ethical magazine.
We value feedback and respond to it proactively – including publishing corrections and clarifications.
Our workflow includes iterative process improvement. We communicate with the ASES Board of Directors and the Solar Today Editorial Board each month about the goals of our publication.
You are welcome to contact our editor in chief, Kat Friedrich, via LinkedIn or email (kfriedrich at ases.org). Syndication inquiries are particularly of interest to our team.
Join Our Community
Solar Today serves a welcoming community of knowledgeable energy professionals who mentor and encourage the next generation. Support ASES’s mission to create education and outreach for the energy transformation by joining our nonprofit as a member today! Members receive print and/or digital subscriptions to Solar Today and many other benefits, including being a part of the ASES professional community.
ASES only posts six articles per issue on the ASES website. If you would like to subscribe to read the rest of our magazine electronically without joining ASES, you can do so via Magzter, which provides a variety of subscription options.
We invite you to tell your coworkers and friends about these opportunities to join and subscribe.
Download our Solar Today one-page handout to share with potential readers and supporters.
