Dr. John G. Sperling, renewable energy philanthropist, presented “SolarCAT: A Practical Path to Energy Independence” to the Sierra Club’s symposium on Climate Recovery in Washington DC on May 13, 2009. Below is the speech text.
A Practical Path to Renewable Energy Independence. Thank you Carl for the generous introduction and thanks to the Sierra Club leadership for arranging this conference and committing its human and organizational resources to the vital work of climate recovery. At this time, I would like to recognize some of the people who have been vital in aiding me in creating the Practical Path: • Herb Hayden, President and Chief Engineer of Southwest Solar Technologies, the company that is developing the SolarCAT, the core technology of the Practical Path, • Josh Rosen, late of Wall Street and now Southwest Solar CFO who has assured me that financing 1 GW SolarCAT plants will not be a problem and, finally, on the agriculture side, • Eric Rey, President of Arcadia Bioscience, whose company is developing a minimal carbon footprint biofuel to power SolarCAT when there is no sun. And then, there are those responsible for producing the SolarCAT brochure which each of you has received: • John Thiella, Chief Counsel of the Renewable Energy Accountability Project- REAP and editor of the SolarCAT brochure, • Sam George, REAP Board Member and Chief Strategist who took the first step along the Practical Path by introducing me to Herb Hayden and lastly • Jim Gonzalez- Chairman of REAP who arranged for me to speak at this session. |
