Renewable Energy, America, and the Globe

One could sense the new found energy among the more than 2800 plus participants at RETECH2009 which took place March 25-17, 2009. Not only was the energy vibrant, it was infinitely renewable.

The American Council for Renewable Energy (ACORE) does a fantastic job since its inception in 2001 to put the building blocks and alliances in place for accelerated take off of an industry that will significantly lower the carbon portion of humanity’s Ecological Footprint. Planet2025 Network

was proud to be a supporting organization of this milestone event.

Participants were particularly energized by the stimulus package and timely leadership from President Obama, who understands the strategic importance of a strong and dynamic renewable energy industry for the future of America in this 21^st Century.

During high-quality sessions we witnessed visions of industry leaders that painted the picture of an emerging future in which renewable energy may provide 25% of energy needs by 2025 going hand in hand with reaching 30% energy efficiency by simply using today’s technologies. Despite recent turmoil in the financial markets, this industry appears to have reached a turning point. Its future appears to be bright. Importantly, consumers are getting it; they want sustainable solutions. Old energy is no longer cool.

National security and oil independence are intimately linked to what happens globally as everything and all things are connected as components of one whole system. My DREAM message in response to President Obama’s challenge to the industry is that as the US is working towards the goal of Doubling Renewable Energy production and efficiency in AMerica in three years, it also needs to stimulate and invest in:

• demand creation for its products, services, and technologies in developing economies around the world to achieve a truly sustainable economic recovery
• global cooperation on lowering humanity’s total Ecological Footprint everywhere, such as by putting a price on carbon and the scarcity value of natural resources
• using its comparative advantage in film, media and advertising to communicate to raise global consciousness that big positive change is possible in the US and around the world, that it can be achieved rapidly knowing change has to start within you, me and all other global citizens in the world taking responsibility for creating the future now, and linked to all of the above
• engaging communities around the world to regenerate the planet’s ecosystems, remove CO2 from the atmosphere by planting of billions of trees as part of integrated agro-forestry initiatives that create sustainable livelihoods to alleviate poverty and convert CO2 into things people need, such as food, feed, fiber, fuel, fertilizers, and fertile soils.

Let us cooperate from the local to the global to ensure that we can reach a globally sustainable way of life by 2025. The immediate years ahead of us are crucial. We are one people on one planet with one future. We have the exponential power of one.