The Power behind Empowered
When asked about the name of her upcoming series Empowered: Energy Heroes Kiki Goshay smiles. “We are all feeling the effects of climate change. And it scares us! The problem seems insurmountable. It is easy to feel defeated. But when I spoke with each of the people I interviewed, I felt uplifted and empowered. They painted a picture of a future using renewable energy that is carbon-free, pollution free, less expensive more reliable, and resilient.”
This is not to say that Goshay is viewing the ongoing climate crisis through rose-colored glasses — on the contrary, they are decidedly green. She is clear on the facts but believes we need to talk about the solutions and celebrate our progress. Empowered: Energy Heroes delves into the reasons why Goshay believes we will eliminate fossil fuels from our energy system. Goshay is adamant that the brightest, most innovative minds in the world are working on this, and their stories are unfolding in real-time. These are the stories that she is going to share.
For decades, the issue of climate change has proven to be so polarizing, so terrifying, that it has scared many people into either denial or immobilization. An avid environmentalist with roots in social justice activism, Goshay says, “There is a silver lining to our climate crisis. It is forcing us to innovate our way out of using fossil fuels. And one of the greatest outcomes is that it is creating a solution for the poorest people on the planet to finally get access to energy.” The technology and policy that have made solar and batteries affordable have brought electricity to those who have lived without them.
“There is a direct correlation between the amount of energy we use and our quality of life.”
This purposeful re-framing of the conversation surrounding climate change is one of the reasons why Goshay speaks in affirmations rather than hypotheticals. “We have the technology to have a carbon-free energy system. Now it’s time to set goals and make it happen.” She looks to the future with a strong grasp of the present, one that is rooted in positive scientific breakthroughs rather than fear.
Although she’s nothing if not a realist. “If we had taken action decades ago when researchers like Ram and Margaret connected the dots between the burning of fossil fuels and climate change, we would be in a much better place today.” But Goshay maintains that today what’s really important is setting goals and enacting policy that supports research, innovation, and commercialization of carbon-free energy solutions.
When asked why she felt the need to make this series, her answer is simple. “I really want to celebrate these great people who have powered on while the support for their research ebbed and flowed. Their work will affect everyone on this planet.”
“Today it is cheaper to generate electricity using wind or solar than gas or coal. I am so happy and relieved that the economics are on our side. It makes sense that we are going to get away from the more expensive fossil fuels. No one can make an argument for supporting the more expensive option. And what’s exciting is that we are not only getting the cheapest, but we are getting the most renewable — the best. These are not finite resources. They will never be depleted. Wind and solar, they’re always going to be there.”