Fittingly, the 2024 ASES Awards and Fellows Program honored individuals who also spanned many solar specialties and many decades of service. The Awards were conferred on May 21 at the ASES National Solar Conference in Washington, D.C..

This year, the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) celebrates its 70th anniversary, recalling the vision and persistence of solar professionals and citizen activists working across the spectrum of solar research and development, business innovation, codes and standards, policy and public service. Fittingly, the 2024 ASES Awards and Fellows Program honored individuals who also spanned many solar specialties and many decades of service. The Awards were conferred on May 21 at the ASES National Solar Conference in Washington, D.C..

They ranged from an award for graduate student achievement presented to Remilekun Akinwonmi, a Nigerian-born graduate student in mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder, to an award for leadership in solar business innovation, presented to Dr. Fred Morse. Morse began his solar career in the 1960s and led solar programs for the Department of Energy and the White House under multiple U.S. Presidents before developing a focus on the private sector. He led the deployment of central solar power (CSP) technologies for Agengoa Solar Inc. and chaired the Utility-Scale Solar Power Division of the Solar Energy Industries Association. The ASES Board of Directors also recognized Morse this year with a special Lifetime Achievement Award.

"The ASES Awards Program is a powerful reminder of the incredible talent and dedication within the solar community. Celebrating our award winners and inductees not only honors their remarkable achievements but also inspires all of us to continue driving innovation and commitment towards a clean energy future," said Jill Cliburn, ASES Awards Chair and a fellow in the Society.

Cliburn noted that each of this year's awardees has a remarkable story and that the ASES has made bios of each of the awardees available as a tribute and record of their contributions.

The 2024 ASES award winners and fellow inductees were formally recognized for their remarkable contributions:

2024 ASES Award Winners:

Charles Greeley Abbot Award: Abraham Ellis
Hoyt Clarke Hottel Award & Lifetime Achievement Award Presented by the ASES Board of Directors: Fred Morse
Leadership in Solar Policy and Market Transformation Award: David Gahl
Leadership in Solar Architecture and Design Award: Mike Nicklas and Gary Bailey
Rebecca Vories Award for Volunteer Service: John Essig
Claudia Hansen Wentworth Award for Code Development, Innovation and Training: Mark Mrohs and Johnny Weiss
Women in Solar Energy: Annika Colston
John and Barbara Yellott Award: Remilekun Akinwonmi
2024 Fellows Inductees, honoring longtime solar leadership and service to the Society
2024 Fellows Inductees:

Vikram Sami
Liz Merry
Robert Peña
Troy Peters
William Guiney
Jeff Lyng
The event highlighted the critical role of solar energy in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable living. Join us for our 54th Annual National Solar Conference on August 4-6, 2025, in Boulder, CO! Learn more at ases.org/conference, and for any questions about the ASES Awards and Fellows, please contact Jill Cliburn at awards@ases.org.

About the American Solar Energy Society
With its rich history and dedication to solar energy advocacy, ASES continues to be at the forefront of promoting renewable energy technologies, workforce development, and community-based solar projects. With over 20,000 members, ASES remains the longest-serving and leading solar energy advocacy organization in the United States. For more information about ASES and its initiatives, please visit www.ases.org.