Our adventure at RE+ 2023 this year was nothing short of remarkable. Our team had engaging dialogues with established and new clients and we we're blown away by the enormous growth across the industry. RE+ brings the modern energy industry together as the largest and most comprehensive event in North America for the clean energy industry, RE+ is comprised of: Solar Power International (flagship event), Energy Storage International, RE+ Power (including wind, and hydrogen and fuel cells), and RE+ Infrastructure (electric vehicles and microgrids) and brings together an extensive alliance of renewable energy leaders. Here's a snapshot of our key takeaways from the conference.

• Industry Growth: With over 40,000 attendees, the event witnessed a significant surge in participation from new companies and individuals, a testament to the growing interest and investment into renewable energy.

• Investment in Energy Storage: Utilities are investing in long-duration energy storage, marking its criticality in the energy transition. The race is on among various technologies and companies to demonstrate their efficacy and value. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded up to $70 million to support two of Xcel Energy’s long-duration battery storage projects utilizing Form Energy’s iron-air battery technology.

• Battery Manufacturing Boom: Propelled by the IRA and Infrastructure Act, there's an impressive influx of international investments funneling into battery manufacturing and gigafactories, particularly in the southeast and rustbelt regions. “The times of supply shortages are over,” said Thomas Koerner, Senior Vice President of Canadian Solar Inc. in an interview with pv magazine USA.

• Battery Recycling: Initiatives like those by Redwood Materials and Li-Cycle are making battery recycling a bankable venture (edit 10/23/23: Li-Cycle has announced they are pausing construction work on its Rochester Hub project), reflecting the importance of a circular economy in the clean energy roadmap. Nick Gotsev and Moises Aguirre from ONTILITY | Powered by TerrePower showcased a innovative module recycling approach, costing around $15 per unit including transportation.

• Comfortable Shoes: 1 week later, our calves are still recovering. Investment into comfortable footwear for next year's conference in Anaheim will make or break the success of many.

• Workforce Shortages: Despite the promising growth, many companies are struggling to attract the right talent, potentially hampering their pace of growth. It’s crucial that we envision and enact strategies that foster trust, diversity, and inclusivity in our workforce to continue on this upward trajectory. Contact talisman advisory partners for assistance building your team.

Please contact our team if you would like to connect at next years conference. We look forward to attending RE+ 2024 in Anaheim, California.