ASES SOLAR 2019 Report
ISES section ASES, the American Solar Energy Society reports on their succcesfull conference "Race to Renewables" which took place in Minneapolis from 5-9 August.
ASES SOLAR 2019: “Race to Renewables”
Race against time to take urgent climate action through the use of renewable energy
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA August 5-9
Nearly 300 attendees, mainly from across the USA, converged to share their concerns and solutions for addressing the climate crisis. Keynote speakers -- ISES President Dave Renné, Project Drawdown Executive Director Jonathan Foley, and Interstate Renewable Energy Council Chair Larry Shirley -- outlined important actions and progress in all sectors worldwide.
The conference concluded that emissions must be eliminated from the electricity and electrified transportation and new building sectors within just two decades. The needed rapid increase in electric power generated by renewables – primarily wind and solar power – will dramatically offset carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels and provide enormous investment opportunities.
New large-scale wind and solar projects need to be built where the resources are strongest. In order to get the lowest-cost renewable electricity to the cities where it is needed, a new network of narrow, ultra-high voltage direct current (HVDC) power lines needs to be built to carry power across the country.
The conference also brought the message that solar resources are nearly as robust in both rural and urban communities anywhere in the country. New techniques are available to find appropriate sites for solar projects on homes and buildings in population centers, making renewable power available to the home/business and immediate community.
A major message from the conference is that people need to be bold in their commitment to taking climate action, and they must communicate the need for action among their colleagues, friends and families. They must also take personal climate actions and be willing to talk about why they made the changes.
Text by Paulette Middleton, ISES Secretary and ASES Immediate Past Chair
ISES Secretary Paulette Middleton and ISES President Dave Renné at ASES SOLAE 2019.
See www.ASES.org/conference for more information from the conference.
The next annual ASES Conference will be in Washington, DC, June 23-26, 2020.
Related Event:
UN Climate Action Summit 2019 – A Race We Can Win
New York City
September 21-23, 2019
