I had the exciting opportunity to attend this year’s MIT Energy Conference, which focuses on transformational technologies in the energy industry, alongside my thesis partner, Austin Fry. Austin and myself are graduate students in the ESTEEM program at Notre Dame, and are working with Inovateus Solar as part of our thesis project to create a fund that invests in renewable energy projects, with a focus on solar. Attending this conference allowed us to learn from industry experts, especially those whom are trying to continue to transform the energy industry through technology and financing. The keynote speakers and panelists ranged from individuals at large energy corporations, energy finance and investment companies, energy startups, and research professors in energy related fields. With a wide array of experts in all fields of energy, we were able to obtain a holistic view of the energy industry and learn from key players.
Topics of conversation included the potential for blockchain to transform the energy exchange, a smart grid to handle supply and demand, the future of electric vehicles, energy financing, the future of energy storage, and the disruption that renewable energy will have in the energy industry in the next few decades. We were fortunate to meet with the individuals who are committed to disrupting the energy industry and make renewable energy sources price competitive through advances in technology and innovation in financing. The need for this energy fund was validated as there was a consensus that solar could be the leading energy source in the United States due to feasibility in construction and price, however, the need remains for significant innovation in solar financing.
The energy and excitement that people brought to the conference, pun intended, was contagious and makes me hopeful for renewable energies to take over as the primary sources of energy in the next few decades. With supporting policy, education, and cheap financing, experts believe that solar and wind energy will meet the majority of the United States’ energy needs. With the validation and connections made from this conference, Austin and I are eager to shape this energy fund in a way that will meet the demands for financing in order for solar energy to continue to be an accessible form of energy for all.
By Valeria Gonzalez, business strategy analyst, Inovateus Solar
