Program areas at American Solar Energy Society
Events: each summer ases hosts a national renewable Energy conference, bringing together scholars, scientists, activists, politicians, industry members, and interested citizens to learn and collaborate over 4 days of discussions, workshops and social events. Each fall we put on the national Solar tour which is the largest grassroots sustainable living event in the united states, with tours held in all 50 states. We also host the ases webinar series for practical instruction in renewable Energy systems.
Membership: in 2023 ases had approximately 20,000 currently active members in the national organization at all levels from student digital to professional and lifetime members. We maintain strong ties with 39 local chapters, including 12 that participate in joint membership with ases, and 14 which are student chapters based at universities and colleges around the country. Our business members enjoy joint membership with our global affiliate the international Solar Energy Society based in germany. Ases hosts a forum of Solar enthusiasts and professionals where members can exchange ideas and help one another solve challenges in their personal and professional arenas involving renewable Energy and sustainability.
Publications: ases was founded in 1954, and since 1987 publishes quarterly print and online magazine Solar today with the latest trends and cutting edge ideas in renewable Energy (re) and sustainable living. Solar today is distributed in 49 states and 18 countries. We also widely circulate our bi-weekly online newsletter, solar@work, which is tailored to re professionals and gets approximately 10,000 opens per mailing. We regularly cover information regarding technology, policy, sustainable lifestyle, business innovators, and world affairs regarding Energy and sustainability.
Equitable Solar deployment: responding to the need to greatly accelerate the pace of an equitable transition to 100% re, ases created the zero emissions network (zen) program. Zen's mission is project based and student powered equitable deployment of Solar Energy systems and other carbon emissions reduction projects to low and moderate income community members, especially to historically disadvantaged demographics. Zen is currently working with the oglala lakota people on a Solar project at the pine ridge reservation in south dakota. Fiscal sponsorship: ases is the fiscal agent of the clean Energy credit union (cecu), a green bank that finances loans for clean Energy investments. Ases is responsible for receiving and distributing donated funds directed to cecu.