ASES SOLAR 2021 expanded knowledge, inspired action and strengthened community through a wide variety of formal and informal exchanges and networking among online and in person participants. Attendees celebrated 50 years of progress and joined together in deeper commitments to accelerate the energy transformation equitably in this decade of disruption. Here are a few of the many conference highlights.
50th Anniversary
To commemorate the 50th anniversary milestone, the opening reception recognized the local native lands with a special blessing by James Rattling Leaf. In a special commentary, ASES Executive Director Carly Rixham reviewed the organization’s progress and pioneers. NREL Deputy Director Peter Green framed the future energy transformation that those advancements not only make possible but inevitable. ASES’s 50 years of contributions were also celebrated in Larry Kazmerski’s engaging video of our history and current events as part of the annual ASES Awards Banquet.
JEDI Commitment
ASES’s commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) principles is essential to achieving a 100% renewable energy and sustainable living. This was reflected throughout the keynotes and technical sessions. A key takeaway message of the opening keynote session with Dave Renné (Immediate Past President of ISES), Bill Ritter (Former Colorado Governor and founder of Center for New Energy Economy), and Alice Jackson (CEO Xcel Energy Colorado): we have the technology, and to a growing extent, the financing and policies to achieve 100% renewable energy world in the near future. However, stronger political will is needed to ensure an equitable transformation. The closing keynote by Amory Lovins, co-founder of Rocky Mountain Institute, provided a compelling reminder about the importance of design to achieve the transformation we envision. Both Lovins and Renné referenced a quote from Dwight Eisenhower; “If a problem can’t be solved, enlarge it,” an auspicious reminder about the importance of bringing more stakeholders into the discussion, even if they don’t agree with you.
Building on the conference theme of “Empowering a Sustainable Future,” the Social and Environmental keynote session focused on the topics of racism and social justice as they intersect with energy writ large and renewable energy in particular. Henry Red Cloud (Executive Director at Red Cloud Renewable), Michelle Romero (National Director at Dream Corps), Monique Dyers (President/CEO at Ensight Energy Consulting) and Pilar Thomas (Professor of Practice at the University of Arizona) shared their perspectives on working together to ensure that all communities benefit from the clean energy transition, and how empowering a sustainable future can benefit everyone without harming the most vulnerable among us.
Technical Sessions
SOLAR 2021 featured outstanding content in the technical sessions on social and environmental justice, modeling and scaling, solar advancements, sustainability, and policy, education, and finance deepened the discussions around equity, technology progress, challenges, and paths forward. Other sessions: the important role of local governments in accelerating solar adoption; programs to help low and middle income individuals access solar; incentives and rebates to accelerate EVs; recycling and life cycle of materials; carbon footprints; land use; how solar cookers can improve the lives of three billion people; modeling tools that advance grid scale solar energy adoption; nuances to battery system sizing; passive and active solar systems from design to maintenance; community solar; and workforce development needed in all of these areas.
Board Special Recognition 2021 – Tony Seba
For the first time, ASES’s Board of Directors recognized an ASES member for exceptional contributions to our 100% renewable energy transformation goal. ASES Professional Member, Tony Seba, is a world-renowned thought leader, author, speaker, educator, angel investor and Silicon Valley entrepreneur. Recognized for simple, consistent and persistent explanations of the challenges and exponential opportunities related to solar and clean technology disruption, Seba envisions an electric grid run primarily on PV technologies with storage capacity that includes a fully electrified transport system. Although his work has primarily focused on disrupting the U.S. electricity grid, his influence has spread worldwide as his vision is now being embraced by global cleantech industry organizations. In addition to his inspirational acceptance speech at the Awards Banquet, Seba also spoke at the Industry Roundtable as a Keynote speaker. Attendees were optimistic and energized about the exponential growth of solar’s superpower status within this decade. His broad vision includes a new age of humanity, moving from the Age of Extraction to the Age of Creation.
Final Thoughts:
A special thank you to the SOLAR 2021 National Organizing Committee (Dale Miller, Dave Ginley, Carly Cipolla, Carly Rixham, Robert Foster, Paulette Middleton, Dara Bortman, Paul Ndione), ASES staff, volunteers and interns, and everyone who contributed and participated in the conference. All SOLAR 2021 sessions are available online for people who registered for the conference.
