We did it! With RE+ 2024 now behind us, we wanted to give you all a quick recap of what we saw, heard, and got excited about at North America’s largest conference for renewable energy. With over 13,000 exhibitors and over 40,000 attendees, ranging from celebrities like Padma Lakshmi to leaders across Solar, Storage, Hydrogen, Alternative Fuels, Electric Vehicle Charging, and more, RE+ 2024 won’t soon be forgotten.
Here are our key takeaways from the show:
- We Have To Be Different
- Abigail Ross Hopper, President and CEO of the SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Association) said it best, things are not “business as usual” for the renewable energy industry. We have to think differently. We have to be new. We have to focus on more. How do we do that? Beyond new approaches, technology, and more people involved, we have to create and adopt better standards while pushing harder to resolve the challenges impacting us (like the supply chain). As she put it, “we are in the driver’s seat… and what we do matters.”
- Everyone’s Input Is Valuable
- Celebrity Chef and Renewable Energy advocate, Padma Lakshmi, made the perfect analogy – different perspectives are like fusion food, sometimes terrible, but usually incredible. Our industry is big and its impacts are even bigger. We must consider the needs of every type of community while also pushing for greater diversity in our own ranks if we want to make sure this transition succeeds. With new funding from things like the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act), and new opportunities for disadvantaged communities to finally get the energy they need, we have the chance to include everyone’s voices and ideas for better collaboration, innovation, and change.
- The Challenges Aren’t Going Away
- Two of the biggest topics of last week were the current challenges around interconnection and labor availability. Connecting DERs (distributed energy resources) to the already aged and constrained grid is only getting more difficult. Doing so with limited people despite rising demand is even harder. But there are solutions. Creating better standards and streamlining interconnection and permitting processes is helping mitigate some of the issues around interconnection. Recruiting more people and ensuring that they are easily onboarded and enabled to do their work is also alleviating some of the labor pains so many are feeling. Software tools like Sitetracker that streamline complex processes, like interconnection and permitting, while also providing field crews tools to quickly and effectively do their jobs are more essential than ever before.
- Growth Is Slowing But Demand Is Not
- Renewable Energy isn’t an industry for the faint of heart. News is growing of companies feeling changes in policy, election fears, and general uncertainty about the future of their businesses as Solar growth is experiencing a slowdown. The good news: it’s not a demand issue. The need for cleaner energy is only growing, but we have to overcome current challenges. Interconnection queues are slow, existing transmission infrastructure isn’t enough, lack of funding due to new policies is painful, labor availability is slowing project timelines, and supply chain issues continue to shift. But demand is still high. To grow, we have to make every part of our businesses more efficient to combat all of these challenges, reduce potential delays, and build more infrastructure. Sitetracker helps renewable energy leaders do exactly that with standardized but flexible templates, workflows built on industry best practices, and the accessibility teams need in the office and in the field to get work done.
We’re thankful for getting the chance to connect with friends and leaders throughout renewable energy at RE+ 2024. From in-depth sessions on the industry’s greatest opportunities to all of the booth conversations, meetings, and drive-by chats, we won’t forget this amazing experience. Sitetracker is proud to be working alongside renewable energy leaders across the globe to deploy and maintain the infrastructure we need in our journey towards a more sustainable future.
Thank you to everyone who made RE+ 2024 such a success. We can’t wait to see you all back in Vegas, next year! Until then, let’s get to work and deploy what’s next!
Want to learn more about how Sitetracker can support your renewable projects? Schedule a demo for you and your team.
