A Movement Is Born (Washington International Renewable Energy Conference)

A Movement Is Born

May 19, 2008
Martin Rosenberg, Editor-in-Chief
EnergyBiz Magazine

One does not often feel present at the launch of something civilization changing. Electricity was in the air at the recent Washington International Renewable Energy Conference, which attracted a swarm of more than 8,600 energy entrepreneurs, government officials and academics from around the world. The first such gathering was a German government-sponsored meeting in Bonn four years ago that attracted 1,200. In late 2005, the Chinese government held an event that drew 800 people.

Washington's taxi drivers sensed something big was up. One asked me what I knew about wind turbines, since his brother in Kenya wants to sell them. Another cabby wanted to know if plug-in hybrid vehicles were on display at WIREC -- they were -- because he was tired of being mugged at the gas pump.

Inside the Washington Convention Center, the flow of information was fast and deep. A government official from Iceland said that everyone should get rid of the notion that geothermal was just possible in a few remote geographical areas blessed with volcanic activity. Dig deeper, said Össur Skarphédinsson, Iceland Minister of Industry, and energy-starved regions like Africa can tap new energy sources. A congressman told a breakout session of attendees to get ready for seismic change.

"In the next couple of decades, the United States is positioned to be the arsenal of renewable energy," said Rep. Jay Inslee of Washington state.

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