Monday and Tuesday I had the privilege to attend the first Energy Thought Summit (ETS) here in Austin. Such luminaries in energy and technology, like Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, and Jon Wellinghoff, former FERC chairman, were headliners.

On Monday morning, I took away some encouraging and fundamental insights. The first featured speaker, Badar Khan, CEO of Direct Energy, particularly highlighted customer-engaging strategies. Most people only spend about six minutes per month on their electricity bill. With so little attention given to electricity use, no wonder it doesn’t occur as something important to people. To change the utility bill game, Direct Energy now has a “pay-as-you-go” service. Customers pay at the beginning of the month for their electricity and then receive their remaining balance each day via text message. The result is people take more control of their usage daily.

Making a grand entrance on a Segway accompanied by a marching band playing the Super Mario theme, Steve Wozniak brought a great perspective on invention and innovation. In his experience with invention, a simple, inexpensive, working model sells itself to investors. Innovation he found comes and growth he found come out of an open, collaborative business environment with thoughtful rather than forceful leadership. He also believes, and shares his wealth accordingly, that when you have success you should pay it forward, so others can further innovate.

Everything else on Monday afternoon and Tuesday seemed to point toward this: 1.) The technology to tackle our energy issues already exists, and 2.) Social and organizational inertia is the barrier. Personally, I believe we can overcome the inertia. After all look at how this country mobilized and transformed our industry into a war machine practically overnight when we entered World War II. When will we all get that we’re at war for our future?

Yesterday’s Solar Austin Happy Hour featured renaissance-man and energy guru, Michael Osborne, known for his work with Austin Energy and TREIA (Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association) among other things. He spoke on several areas of transitions currently underway in our world, particularly in energy. Here’s what I took away from his presentation:

Renewable Energy: Solar is the new wind.
New solar installation this year has outpaced new wind capacity. This is largely because solid state PV panels and the price of silicon have recently plummeted and just now show signs of leveling off. Mr. Osborne sees the potential for a true solar revolution (i.e. exponential growth) at a retail price of 5¢/kWh.

He sees the concerns about electric grid operability problems with large amounts of wind and solar as unfounded. Sunshine and wind are variable, and their variability is predictable many hours in advance, especially in Texas. From modeling that’s been done, he believes it is quite feasible for at least 80% of our power to be provided by solar and wind. Interesting fact: Some estimates show that an area approximately the size of Texas covered in solar panels could power the entire world.

Carbon Economy: We’re moving from carbon storage concerns to low carbon.
Three points stuck out here. 1.) We’re at a place where we can harvest carbon out of the air for various purposes via oxidation, etc. 2.) Natural gas production in this country is showing signs of slowing. 3.) Coal -fired power plants can be retrofitted to burn organic matter like paper mill byproducts.

Transportation: We’re heading toward integrated electrical and transportation power.
Electric and electric hybrid vehicles now are making it possible to connect our transportation systems and electrical power systems. The batteries in these vehicles can be utilized for both moving the vehicle down the road and storing energy for the grid. When parked,the power capacity of a vehicle is not being utilized. Mr. Osborne stated that the horsepower under the hoods of all the vehicles sitting in the parking lot during a typical UT football game could power the entire city of Austin. The ability to harness this excess capacity is now here with plug-in vehicles.

Happy Spring Break! Even while on vacation, I find that I can’t turn it off. Here are some things I’ve noticed:

 
Day 1
Good
From our hotel balcony, I noticed some ”cool roofs” (white in color) on some buildings around us. All the lamps in our room are fluorescent.

Bad
At the nice complimentary evening buffet, the hotel uses disposable table service items (cups, plates, utensils and napkins). They even serve the adult beverages in plastic!

Opportunities
I could use the plastic bin I brought along that contains the family clementine supply to collect compostables and take them back to Austin. Also, the pool-side shade structures might make a good place for solar panels.

Day 2
Good
In the morning when I went to exercise, I noticed that the weight room had a motion sensor for the lights. My husband, son and I shared disposable utensils and bowls/plates at breakfast and returned our unused packages of utensils and condiments at lunch.

Bad
The hotel cleaning staff replaced our towels that we left hanging up, despite the flyer on the bedside table stating that a towel on a rack meant “I will reuse this.” I communicated that this was not acceptable at the front desk, because we DO intend to reuse our towels!

Opportunities
I saved our adult beverage plastic cups to reuse at the buffet and bar tomorrow.

Day 3
Good
We saved our waistlines and prevented food waste at lunch by ordering three dishes for five people. Beyond food and postcards, the only item I purchased was a used fleece jacket at Goodwill. And the towels weren’t changed out in our room!

Bad
We blew our gas-powered vehicle free day, with a diesel-powered boat ride.

Opportunities
My husband and I could play the game called “No More Plastic Cups from Hotel Buffet.” We win, if we use no more than the five “disposable” cups we have currently rinsed and ready to go when we check out.

After completing my Landmark Advanced Course this past weekend, I’ve truly discovered that I have the power to create life, or freeze it to death. If my words and actions don’t align, or if I’m dishonest about how much I passionately care about people and making a difference in the world, it’s killer. It’s like being frozen and icing over everything around me. Also, if I lack a constructive focus for my creative energy, I isolate myself and get lost in a snowstorm of my own creation.

Like me, the young snow queen in “Frozen,” Elsa, is a powerful woman who experiences the stifling pain of isolation and creative power run amuck. Also, like me and most of you reading this, as a child Elsa comes to believe sharing her amazing abilities will cause people to shun her. When pushed to her limit, she freezes her entire kingdom in the summer. Then she creates an ice castle to hide in. Elsa is so determined to shove life and the risk of hurt away; she nearly kills her younger sister. It is only her sister’s willingness to sacrifice herself to save Elsa that melts the ice and opens Elsa’s eyes to reality. After her sister’s brush with death, Elsa is moved to focus her power to create joy and fun for all with a year-round ice rink and a melt-proof talking snowman.

I, too, can be such a snow queen. When dismissed from a job two years ago, I retreated into my ice castle focusing on my pain, trying to fix myself and figure out what went wrong. Then I lost myself in a flurry of networking and training. First, I worked environmental consulting circles, then I tried EMS (environmental management systems) and recently I’ve drifted into green business/renewable energy circles with a short trip down pollution prevention lane. Based on my feelings of isolation and rejection from teasing way back in grade school, I’ve kept my true passion and ideas for a more sustainable world concealed. In the last two weeks I’ve chosen a focus for my energy. I’ve opened up and shared a vision for transforming a North Austin business park into a model of a sustainable business community for the world. Amazingly, several people think it’s a great idea! They actually want to help make it possible!

How freeing it is to let it go and share an inspiring possibility with the world! I’ve taken Elsa’s empowering anthem, “Let It Go,” as my personal anthem. It often runs in my head reminding me to take courage and funnel my creative energy on this project that will make a difference. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to make the North Austin Green Dream for Braker Center a reality, including funding it by applying for grants, and taking my chances on winning cash from a car dealer’s grand opening. I’ve even offered myself as an unstoppable force in collaboration with a solar installer to put solar panels on the property as a gateway project, though how we’ll do it is yet unclear.

The dream begins to take form now and life begins to thaw.