The University at Albany's Atmospheric Sciences Research Center hosted the third annual Renewable Energy Pathways Conference on Wednesday (September 10) and Thursday (September 11). The event, titled "Navigating a Weather-Driven Energy Sector," focused on the role of weather in the development and integration of renewable energy sources into the electric grid.

The conference, held at UAlbany’s ETEC building, brought together over 30 speakers, including industry experts and decision-makers, to discuss energy policy and the impact of weather on renewable energy development. According to Weather Analytics, topics included the challenges of integrating solar and wind power into the grid, energy storage systems, and the importance of accurate weather predictions for managing variable energy resources.

Bruce Bailey, Executive in Residence at the University of Albany, emphasized the need for improved weather information to help utilities manage their systems effectively. "With more wind and solar, those are variable resources, so the ability to predict those resources accurately is essential," he said, as reported by CBS6 Albany.

The conference also served as a platform for fostering collaborations and partnerships aimed at advancing research in weather and energy technologies. Chris Thorncroft, director at UAlbany’s ASRC, expressed the university's commitment to advancing research in weather and energy, stating, "It’s essential given the changing climate conditions," as noted by UAlbany News.

The event comes amid debates over renewable energy plans in New York and rising electricity costs. It highlighted the importance of integrating renewable resources into the electric grid to potentially reduce electricity costs and enhance grid resilience.

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