Key Takeaways and What Wasn’t Said: RETECH 2009 Go

Posted on 5/1/2009 with 0 comments

The 3 day conference covered a broad range of topics across the renewable energy spectrum.  Wind, solar, biomass, green power, funding, smart grid, geothermal and storage were covered in 60+ sessions presented by more than 200 speakers.

Main Takeaways:

• The magnitude and extent of renewable energy incentive provisions are unprecedented.
• While extraordinary gains have been made in funding and support, much more is on the way (in the near term) in the form of a national RPS and a CO2 “cap and trade” scheme.
• Governmental support should spur the industry even with substantially less private funding capacity as a result of the distressed credit markets.
• The main limiter to achieving significant physical gains in renewable power generation is the weak grid system.
• Generally, the federal government is going to drive massive increases in renewable energy and while not said, but implied, the Feds will be able to overcome resistance at the State level and by individual utilities and regulators.

Not discussed…

• What impact will all of these provisions have on the ultimate price of energy and how might this affect businesses and/or residential customers?
• No mention (at all) of nuclear power, despite there being a renewed interest in Sweden, Germany and Italy and that many US utilities are already proceeding down the nuclear permitting process.
• Challenges (counter incentives and time) in working with a multitude of utilities and regulators to spur renewables and to upgrade the grid systems.