2014 GCEP Welcome by Sally Benson | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The 10th Annual Symposium highlights the extraordinary progress made in renewable energy over the past decade and addresses the challenges that still need to be overcome.

Key Insights

• 💨 Over the past decade, the cost and efficiency of renewable energy technologies, such as photovoltaic modules and wind turbines, have significantly improved.
• ⛽ The symposium recognizes the need to decarbonize fossil fuels and explores innovative approaches like carbon capture and storage.
• 👯 The growth of renewable energy has been driven by the increasing demand for energy services and the need to provide electricity to the 1.2 billion people without access to it.

Transcript

it's really wonderful to see you here and welcome to our 10th annual symposium so so i have a question first though how many people have been here for all 10 symposiums Wow okay well thank you for your dedication and for being here how many people this is the first time they've ever been here yeah Wow okay well I like that we've got a lot of new pe... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the purpose of the annual symposium?

The symposium aims to facilitate informed discussions on challenging energy issues and the transformation of the energy system towards lower carbon emissions.

Q: How has the cost of PV modules changed over the past decade?

In 2004, PV modules cost around $3 per watt, making electricity generation expensive. Now, the cost has decreased to around $0.70 per watt, thanks to industry and academic efforts.

Q: What has been the growth rate of wind power over the past decade?

Wind power has experienced an average growth rate of 23% per year in California, becoming a competitive and low-cost source of electricity compared to other options.

Q: How is the symposium addressing the need for storage technologies for intermittent renewable resources?

The symposium aims to explore and develop cost-effective storage technologies, helping to integrate and take better advantage of intermittent and variable resources like wind and solar.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The symposium brings together experts to discuss the most challenging energy issues and the transformation of the energy system to a lower-carbon future.

• The past decade has seen significant improvements in the cost and efficiency of photovoltaic modules, leading to a 40-times increase in installed photovoltaic capacity.

• Wind power has also seen impressive growth, with turbines now performing well and becoming a low-cost source of electricity.

• The symposium also acknowledges the need for decarbonizing fossil fuels and the importance of integrating renewable resources and developing cost-effective storage technologies.