2024: Celebrating 70 Years of Solar Policy, Advocacy, and Innovation
We’re celebrating a monumental milestone—70 years of the American Solar Energy Society! For seven decades, ASES has championed solar energy, driven innovation, and helped pave the way for a sustainable, renewable future. Founded in 1954, the same year as the first patented silicon solar cell, ASES has been at the heart of every breakthrough in solar energy.
On December 24, 1954, the American Solar Energy Society was founded with the object to foster and encourage the research, development, application and education in fields related to solar and other energies.
2024 has been an incredible year - we hosted our 53rd National Solar Conference, SOLAR 2024: Connecting Technology & Policy, in Washington, D.C., hosted our 29th National Solar Tour in October, and published our 37th year of Solar Today. As the longest-standing solar energy nonprofit in the U.S., ASES is at the forefront of research, education, and advocacy, working tirelessly to achieve a world equitably and sustainably transformed to 100% renewable energy.
Through our Zero Emissions Network Program, we are having a fantastic experience working with the Red Cloud Renewable team this year to launch Project Tiošpáye. This project was chosen by the EPA's Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Initiative to deploy solar for the Oglala Lakota people at the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, one of the most persistently impoverished communities in the U.S., with sky-high energy bills and dangerously cold winters threatening their people. We look forward to enriching the lives and economies of Pine Ridge families with solar technologies that support electricity generation, water purification, refrigeration, and water pumps.
None of this would be possible without you—our members, partners, and supporters. Your dedication fuels our mission, and we are deeply grateful. Let’s continue this journey together. With your generosity, we’ll make the next 70 years even brighter!
Join the Circle of the Sun: Empower ASES’ Mission
A Special Opportunity for ASES' 70th Anniversary
Celebrate 70 years of solar progress by joining the Circle of the Sun, an exclusive donor group honoring solar pioneers and supporting the next generation of renewable energy champions. Your support fuels ASES’ work toward a 100% renewable energy future.
Benefits:
Membership Levels:
$50/month or $500/year to join.
Founding Member: $2,500 one-time ($1,000 for Life Members) for special recognition, including your name or logo in ASES publications.
Act Now:
From now through December 31, 2024, a generous donor will match up to $20,000 in Circle of the Sun donations. Every dollar doubles your impact and is 100% tax-deductible.
Celebrating 70 Years of Solar Policy, Advocacy, and Innovation
Our solar community has been directly responsible for the great majority of advancements that have occurred in solar energy during the past 70 years. One of the unique things about our industry is that we are disruptors. Being disruptive is how we bring about change. But we choose our path not because it is easy, but because it is hard.
Explore our solar milestones, rich history, and leadership in the 2024 Impact Report!
Financial Planning and Performance Strategy Analyst
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