Solar Conference in Cleveland

photo by U NO HU

Today Jeff Buster and I attended the free public day of the American Solar Energy Society Conference [1] at the Cleveland Convention Center. It was a fascinating array of gadgets and applications of solar and wind, batteries, generators, inverters, batteries, reflectors and pumps -- even the County energy efficiency guy was there and a representative of the electrician's union who said Cleveland area electricians are keen on seeing incentives drive solar and wind installations in the region. The best news though was heard as we left at the end of the day; Green Energy Ohio's [2] indefatigable Fletcher Miller (on right hand in photo above) was speaking with a (the big) guy from Palo Alto California who had asked why the conference was in Cleveland. Fletcher replied that it was the excitement on the ground and noted that Ohio has more members of ASES than any other state and that the on-the-ground excitement caused the choice of our fair city. It paid off. Fletcher said that the conference had already doubled the number of attendees over last year's conference in Denver--Denver 1,600/Cleveland 3,200. Fletcher also applauded John Funk's coverage in the PD such as Ohio needs an advanced energy policy [3], Forecast: sun, wind at downtown events [4] and Energy answers in the wind, sun "These two trends, climate destabilization and oil depletion, are matters of science, not conjecture."Bradley Collins,the executive director of the American Solar Energy Society [5]. So here's a shout out to Cleveland and Cuyahoga County and the rest of the state -- let's get busy and get wind and solar going -- the problem was pointed up by a lawyer from the London office of Squire Sanders who specializes in wind turbine installation -- the hold up in Ohio -- no Renewable Portfolio Standard.

What can we do? Call Governor Strickland and tell him that we know that Ohio can generate at least 10-20% from our own wind energy resources within the next decade. Tell him that you hope they will support a Renewable Energy Standard of at least 20% renewable energy by 2020. Here's the phone number -- 614.644.4357. Call weekdays before 5pm.