The question is no longer if clean energy will become competitive with conventional energy forms of energy; the question is, when will it happen?

The first question from the audience during Q&A vocalized the frustration many feel in the renewable energy world at the political debate around energy in Washington. The issue this question referred to was on subsidies for renewables without recognizing that fossil fuels have been receiving subsides for decades. The list goes on and on.  The audience member urged Steven Chu to lead the DOE to create a new dialog for public discourse around energy. Chu responded that the last thing we want is to let clean energy get bogged down in a political debate. It is on its way to becoming a cheaper form of energy. Conversation should be to phase out all subsidies because technology is going at such a pace where we should not need subsidies. Chu is a scientist, not a politician, and his perspective that politics should stay out of rational decisions about this country’s energy future is probably a wise one. Toxic politics are rendering useless to much of our public discourse about the future. If the energy world can embrace both sides of the aisle in Washington and keep the focus on logical strategies that will support a better future for everyone, their cause will benefit.

Secretary Chu Speaking at WREF 2012

Midway through the week at the 2012 World Renewable Energy Forum, Secretary Steven Chu of the United States Department of Energy and Santiago Seage, CEO of Abengoa Solar spoke during the plenary session titled, “Government and Industry: Driving the Clean Energy Transition.” Even though there are many threats today to the expansion of the renewable energy (RE) market, inexpensive natural gas being one of those threats, I came away from this plenary session with reason for optimism. Governments can play the role in RE expansion, not through endless subsidies, but through strategic investments in key areas.

Mr. Seage, the CEO of a $6 billion dollar global solar technology company, drove the point home that it’s time that government and industry realize the free market is unable to solve our energy problems by itself. In addition, he said that the volatility of energy prices is compounding our energy problems and global governments can intervene to create consistency and predictability so RE businesses can thrive. Perhaps the most proactive thing this global businessman said was that energy prices need to reflect the cost of CO2 emissions and other environmental costs. Seage said, “We cannot continue living without a price on something that has a price.” Assessing the true environmental costs and impact of using carbon is critical to the success of the renewables industry.

Secretary Chu spoke next and described some of the innovative ways the U.S. Department of Energy enables the RE market, not just because it is the proper thing to do for the environment but because it also makes economic sense. The Nobel prize winning scientist began with a review of the current climate science and referenced four different studies by NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, HadCRU, and Berkeley. All four studies say that over the last 200 years the average annual land temperature has been increasing. Without a doubt, Sec. Chu said, greenhouse gases (GHGs) are preventing heat from escaping out of the Earth’s atmosphere thereby warming surface temperatures and changing the climate. So what can we do?

The good news, Sec. Chu said, was that the cost of doing something about climate change is going down every year. The question is no longer if clean energy will become competitive with conventional forms of energy, it is a matter of when it will happen. The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) SunShot Initiative has the lofty goal of reducing the costs of solar energy systems by 75% before 2020. President Obama’s intent with the SunShot Initiative is to position the U.S. as a leader in the clean energy economy by unleashing research and development to drive down prices. So far, it seems to be working. In 2004, the cost to install a solar system was $8 per watt. In 2010, the cost was down to $4 per watt. Mr. Seage and Sec. Chu both touted the benefits of governments investing in RE research and development to help strengthen the RE market.

Sec. Chu also reminded us that most of the good fortune for the RE industry in the United States was due to the American Recovery Act funds and that the DOE is already thinking about life after the Recovery Act. Some of the things they’re focusing on include:

• Asking Congress for an extension of the Wind Tax Credit.
• Investing in research, development, and deployment to drive down costs of RE.
• Lowering the cost of capital so investment becomes less risky. This can happen by broadening the pool of investors and diversifying their investments in clean energy.
• Working to coordinate REs with transmission and distribution, fossil fuel reserves, and energy storage. If we don’t do this today and when prices plunge the tech will be there but we can’t deploy because the system isn’t ready.
• Continuing to increase energy efficiency in our buildings and appliances.

Sec. Chu reminded us that the solutions to climate change will be economical and that it’s possible to have energy in a cleaner way. There’s also a huge market opportunity for developing clean technologies and exporting them around the world. The Secretary also left us with this question: “would you rather be a buyer or seller of RE technologies to the rest of the world?” I know my answer. What’s yours?

For another prospective and more details on Secretary Chu’s presentation, check out Andrew Michler’s article on Inhabitat.

Photo Credit: USACEpublicaffairs

As debates in Washington rage on about the appropriate use for government funds, speakers at this year’s World Renewable Energy Forum presented many examples of government and the private sector working together to foster innovation and expand markets.  Government speakers and scientists from government funded organizations gave progress updates on initiatives related to solar market development.

During a session on Tuesday, Melinda Marquis discussed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA)’s work with the private sector to improve the quality of weather forecasting models. The NOAA has a long history of collaborating with private sector players to collect data while keeping sensitive information private. Historically, this has been a common occurrence with the aviation industry. Related to the energy industry, in recent years NOAA has signed agreements with Xcel as well as one of the largest wind developers in the country to share data. There has also been interest from players in the solar industry. NOAA integrates this weather information from outside sources to help improve weather forecasts publicly available through the National Weather Service.

Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Dorothy Robyn spoke during the Tuesday morning plenary about the DoD’s activities related to energy. With 300,000 buildings, 2.2 billion sq ft, 160,000 fleet vehicles, 28 million acres of land containing 400 endangered species, the DoD has the potential to make a huge impact. As the largest energy user in the country, the DoD is responsible for 1% of all energy use.

Undersecretary Robyn described a variety of initiatives the DoD is working on to reduce it’s energy use as well as support the development and successful commercialization of emerging technologies. For example, the Army, Navy, and Airforce have commit to a combined 3 gigs of installed solar by 2025. The DoD is also launching new programs in microgrids and energy management systems. Most importantly perhaps, the Undersecretary described the DoD’s role as a test bed for new technologies and their philosophy of testing and evaluating different applications.

Solar market development has also received a boost in the past years thanks to the innovative work that was supported under the Solar America Communities program and also the more recent Sunshot Initiative.

The DOE SunShot Initiative is a collaborative national initiative to make solar energy cost competitive with other forms of energy by the end of the decade. Reducing the installed cost of solar energy systems by about 75% will drive widespread, large-scale adoption of this renewable energy technology and restore U.S. leadership in the global clean energy race.

Government support for expanding renewable energy markets has and will continue to play a critical role in transitioning our country to a clean energy future.

Photo Credit: Dave Parsons, Denver Zoo

One of the biggest events of the year in the renewable energy field is just a week away.

WREF 2012 will begin on May 13th at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. We have an amazing lineup of speakers on a variety of renewable energy topics from innovations in solar technology to the greenest zoo in the world and much more. This year WREF will also have presentations given in the  fun, fast-paced Ignite style.  This comprehensive conference will also feature renewable energy thought leaders like U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu,  Governor  John Hickenlooper, Ed Mazria of Architecture 2030 and many more in the plenary sessions.

If you don’t have you ticket yet you still have a chance to see  these speakers as a volunteer. We hope you’ll join us!