Plenary Lectures and VIP Guests

Mr. John Patterson, BA

Abstract:

If we listen carefully, we can hear the last groanings of the fossil fuel age. This crude and soon to be obsolete form of energy is giving way to energy straight from the sun. The struggle to transition toward clean energy has always been economic; and now solar is the least cost new generation energy option. Innovation is accelerating the clean energy revolution. Despite momentary appearances to the contrary, the global transition to renewable energy is unstoppable. Storage, and distribution technologies are already adequately mature for solar to be first choice for new utility scale generation. In the United States the utilities are following the example of millions of Americans who for two generations have been heating their pools and domestic hot water with solar thermal systems. Now they are powering their homes and electric vehicles with sunshine. As a result, CO2 emissions per capita have dropped significantly in the last five years placing the U.S. in company with the leading European nations in the fight against global climate change.

This work will discuss how the global transition to renewable energy is both necessary and unstoppable. Innovation is accelerating the clean energy revolution. Storage and distribution technologies are already cost effective for solar to be the first choice for new utility scale generation. A better world is coming; a world run on sunshine.