Renewable Energy Now! was founded by theoretical physicist and long-time renewable energy researcher, educator, and advocate, Dr. Ben Luce, who also serves as the principle instructor for REN!. “Dr. Ben” holds B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in physics, and has studied, taught, and advocated for renewable energy development since the mid 1990s. He began advocating for renewable energy after become gravely concerned about Climate Change after being exposed to the results of climate science research at the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he was a physicist in the Theoretical Division from 1993-2007. After studying the potential of various potential paths to emission reductions, he became convinced, well before it was widely fashionable to do so, that renewable energy sources, especially solar energy, had enormous but untapped potential to solve the problem, and that the cost of renewable energy would inevitably fall rapidly (as it finally has), if the market for renewables would simply continue to expand.
After researching renewable energy technology in more detail for several years in the mid 1990s, and volunteering with local companies in New Mexico on solar installation projects to learn the ropes first-hand, he began volunteering with the New Mexico Solar Energy Association (NMSEA) on various outreach efforts. He then took the reins of the NMSEA, serving as its President of the NMSEA from 2000-2005, and Vice President from 2005-2007. In this capacity he oversaw the deployment of NMSEA’s SunChaser Education Program, developed numerous education materials for NMSEA including curricula for students and NMSEA’s Passive Solar Guidelines, gave hundreds of demonstrations at schools and public presentations, and organized many solar tours and energy fairs around New Mexico. The slideshow below shares some images from this period (if you’re viewing this on a smart phone, trying turning is sideways to see the photos behind the captions better):
Dr. Ben with his solar demo rig at “SynergyFest” in Las Vegas, NM. As can be seen, he strove to show the public how solar systems can power real appliances (part of his “Last Five Yards” Principle of Effective Advocacy), and to educate the general public as well about basic related concepts such as the meaning of terms such as “volts”, “amps”, “watts”, “kilowatt-hours”, in the belief that quantitative understanding is empowering. NMSEA member and solar installer David Dobry can be seen in the background as well, in front of the NMSEA SunChaser, with one of Dr. Ben’s passive solar models. 
Dr. Ben explaining energy efficiency concepts to a young visitor at an NMSEA “Solar Fiesta!” event in Albuquerque, NM. His Firefly solar unit can be seen at right. It was always a major goal of the NMSEA and Dr. Ben to reach the younger generation. The Solar Fiesta! was, and is, a major event put on by the NMSEA (usually annually) that has promoted renewable energy and sustainable living to tens of thousands of New Mexico residents, young and older, over the years. 
Dr. Ben demonstrating a solar-hydrogen fuel cell demo at the Taos Solar Music Festival Solar Village, of which he is a proponent of among other things, especially where the decarbonization of heavy industry is concerned. The NMSEA Sunchaser and tent in the background. To the right is a technical presentation on solar-hydrogen by Dr. Ben. Dr. Ben was also the organizer of the Taos Solar Village events themselves from 2001-2007. Each village featured roughly 30 exhibitors covering many different aspects of sustainable living. 
A portable PV system demonstrator and energy efficiency demonstrator designed by Dr. Ben, at an NMSEA booth in Albuquerque, NM. This demonstration set, of which ten copies were produced by the NMSEA, was designed to be easily transportable by car to schools and events, and which provided a clear “left-to-right” flow of electricity for ease of conceptual grasp. 
Dr. Ben’s passive solar home model, of which he created ten copies for the NMSEA. This model displays proper window sizing, building aspect ratio, orientation, and the use of “clerestories” to enabling light to enter the rear section of the structure. And crucially, it contained a heavy weight inside so as not to blow away! Also note the sun and earth globes for use in explaining sun paths: A surprising fraction of the population does not understand how and why the sun takes different paths in the summer and winter, which fact is crucial to understanding proper Passive Solar Design. 
This photos shows most of one of the car transportable kits designed by Dr. Ben for NMSEA, at a festival on the Santa Fe Plaza. Note the solar cookies baking away in the solar oven. Photo by B. Luce. Monte Ogdahl visible at right with solar hat. 
Dr. Ben explaining solar energy concepts at an Earth Day Festival in Alamogordo, NM. Although many hours drive from his home in Los Alamos, Dr. Ben participated in this festival for many years, and similar ones around the state. On this occasion he was intending to bring the SunChaser Trailer as usual, but an axel failure necessitated settling for one of the car-portable kits instead. The engagement level was high nonetheless! 
A literature rack designed by Dr. Ben at an NMSEA booth: This rack reflects one component of his “Last Five Yards” Principle of Effective Tabling is to provide literature racks that are visually and physically accessible, wind proof, well labeled, and well stocked with great literature. Strive to your advocacy efforts truly effective in every way possible! 
Dr. Ben (center-right with bolo tie) and other core NMSEA members at the NMSEA booth at an Earth Day event at La Montanita Coop, Albuquerque, NM. One of the keys to effective advocacy is strong community of people who care passionately about the cause and are willing to take the time to put themselves out there and connect! 
Part of the vast library of renewable energy and sustainability resources that Dr. Ben has built up, starting with his years in New Mexico, and which contains one of the largest collections of publications on solar energy research in the 1970s and 80s in the country. 
Dr. Ben (at right) at the dedication of the NMSEA Collection at the Zimmerman Library at the University of New Mexico, a collection he helped facilitate in the belief that preservation of the history of organizations such as NMSEA are important for building the culture of sustainability in society. At far left is Prof. Bill Gross, another former President of the NMSEA, who played a major role in the revival of the organization in the 1990s, and the establishment of the Collection.
In addition to his efforts at renewable energy education, in the belief that having the right policies in place is just as essential to spurring real change, Dr. Ben also co-founded the New Mexico Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy (CCAE) in the late 1990s with several other New Mexico environmentalists, forming a large coalition of environmental groups dedicated to advocating for clean energy policy. Dr. Ben then ardently engaged in advocacy at the State Legislature and Public Regulation Commission with the CCAE over the next decade. Although a challenging task given the enormous level of undue influence of the fossil fuel industry on state government in New Mexico, these efforts eventually led to the adoption by New Mexico of a strong Renewable Energy Standard, production tax credits for wind power, a solar tax credit, a PV RECs purchase program, enhanced solar rights, and other pro-renewable energy policies. Here are some images associated with this work:
Governor Bill Richardson signing the New Mexico Renewable Energy Standard into law in 2004, following remarks by Dr. Ben (at podium), following a six year push by Dr. Ben and the CCAE for such a policy. Bill sponsor Senator Roman Maestas at right, Energy Secretary Joanna Prukop at left. 
CCAE advocate Amy Welch discussing clean energy with a visitor at the NMSEA Solar Fiesta! 
Year 2006 Advocacy Team of the New Mexico Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy, led by Dr. Ben (at far right). 
Dr. Ben (wearing solar tie) at the 2006 signing of the New Mexico Solar Tax Credit, which was sponsored by New Mexico Senator Dede Feldman (at the podium). The gentleman in the yellow sweater is Public Regulation Commissioner Jason Marks. NM Energy Secretary Joanna Prukop at far left. This was one of the first solar credits to re-appear in the United States, and came into being after an 8-year long advocacy effort by Dr. Ben.
In 2008 Dr. Ben relocated to Vermont, a region he developed a special affection for in his youth, and has taught physics and renewable energy ever since at Vermont State University (previously known at Lyndon State College and then Northern Vermont University) in the Department of Natural Sciences, where he is a (tenured) Professor of Physics. His regular course on Energy & Environment has inspired a significant number of students to pursue clean energy related career paths. He has also been closely involved in the development of various renewable energy systems in the region, including two systems on campus (a PV system and a large solar hot water system) which he utilizes in his teaching and research at the university, and also the first community solar PV system sited on a church building in Vermont (at First Universalist Parish in Derby Line). He has also been involved in renewable energy policy statewide, promoting a solar RECs buyback program at the Legislature which helped spur Vermont’s statewide solar adder incentive, and also in opposing ridge-line sited wind power development in the state, which he judged to be inappropriate based on a combination of environmental impacts and the very small overall resource potential that this particular renewable energy source has in the Northeast US. (Note: Vermont has in fact since completely turned away from this type of development to focus mainly on solar power, while Dr. Ben also remains a strong supporter of wind energy development in the Midwest and other regions of large wind energy potential where development can occur with an appropriately low level of impact to the environment).
While at VSU, Dr. Ben has also pursued extensive research into the use of heat pumps coupled with thermal energy storage as a means of reducing oil consumption in greenhouses (with the heat pumps placed inside the greenhouses so as to be able to very efficiently capture and store excess solar energy during the day for use at night). See “Reduction in Cold Season Greenhouse Heating Fuel via Recovery of Excess Solar Heat with Heat Pumps,” B. A. Krug and B. P. Luce, Acta Hort. (ISHS) 1170:539 – 546, 2017.
He has also authored clean energy guides and reports for the State of Vermont, pursued research with students on the integration of renewable energy with sustainable farming, on micro-hydropower development, on hydrogen as an energy storage medium, on optimal combinations of energy storage with solar electric systems, and on the impacts and management of snow on solar energy systems. Materials on some of this research, or on the above mentioned greenhouse research, can be accessed on our Research Page.
The following photos share some images from Dr. Ben’s years of renewable energy work in Vermont:
On a student field trip with students to study the home of home energy expert Jim Wuertele, St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Dr. Ben’s Energy & Environment class studied Jim’s amazingly well executed and thorough weatherization and solarization of an old Vermont house for over a decade. 
Jim Wuertele explaining his evacuated tube solar hot water collector to one of Dr. Ben’s classes. This system was ideally designed for easy maintenance and avoidance of snow buildup. 
With students at a renewable energy conference in Vermont. Attending such conferences is a great way to learn! 
Students with Dr. Ben after completing the installation of meteorological sensors next to the PV system, including a solar insolation sensor, in preparation for studies on the impact of snow on PV systems. Yes, snow can have a pretty big effect some winters, even on systems that have a pretty steep tilt in winter. Mitigating this can be a bit challenging. 
Teaching a young students the basics of wiring up (tiny) PV panels and measuring their power generation. 
Students measuring the heat capture efficiency of a solar hot water panel. Student at right is measuring the solar intensity in watts per square meter while the others measure the temperature increase rate of water circulating through the panel. 
Students of Dr. Ben presenting their senior year research projects. 
When teaching about how PV panels work, its worth exploring the special properties of crystals along the way. 
With Bernie Sanders at the beginning of the PV system project at Lyndon State College. 
Senator Bernie Sanders speaks to Dr. Ben’s students at the beginning of the Lyndon State PV Project. 
Students preparing to instal the 5.6 kw (teaching) PV system at Northern Vermont University (then known as Lyndon State College). Here they are assembling the custom array mounting rack in the classroom first, to make sure everything fits right before actual installation. 
Assembling the inverter panel… 
Testing out the modules first for proper open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current. Always a good idea. 
Students installing the teaching PV system at Northern Vermont University (then known as Lyndon State College). Getting everyone to keep their hardhats on all day proved a challenge, but things went well in any case. 
Dr. Ben at ribbon cutting for the NVU teaching PV system with Northern Vermont University President Joe Bertolino, US Senator Bernie Sanders, and student Ryan Jean. The system was installed by NVU students under Dr. Ben’s supervision, with support from a US Department of Energy grant facilitated by Senator Sanders. 
Teaching an energy fair attendee in Vermont about basic principles of electricity generation. 
Ribbon cutting day for the First Universalist Parish community solar system, with Senator Bernie Sanders in attendance. Dr. Ben is standing just to Sander’s left. Behind Sanders stands the late Paul Gavin, who worked with Dr. Ben to develop the details of the installation plan and project structure. 
A Vermont-style PV system (make with a timber frame mounting structure, and which can be vertically tilted in winter, and an elevated angle in summer) that Dr. Ben helped install in a workshop provided by Solar International at the West Charleston Stewardship Center in Vermont. 
The system at the West Charleston Stewardship Center upon completion, in summer tilt mode. 
A “sun band” constructed by Dr. Ben for measuring indirect solar radiation. Utilized in Dr. Ben’s solar greenhouse research. 
An apparatus for measuring the solar transmissivity of different greenhouse coverings, created by Dr. Ben and utilized by NVU students. 
Talk announcement at Johnson State College, 2013. 
The Solar Bus at a Lyndon State College Earth Day -invited by Dr. Ben every year – with students performing solar powered music. 
Heat-Pump research project conducted by Dr. Ben and collaborators at.the University of New Hampshire in Durham. The idea was to place heat pumps INSIDE a greenhouse to extract excess solar energy during the day (and prevent the greenhouse from overheating), which was then stored in a very large water-based thermal storage unit behind the greenhouse. The stored heat was then transferred back into the greenhouse at night to reduce use of heating oil. The system performed very well, and greatly reduced oil consumption in the fall and spring periods, hence providing a clean means to (greatly) extend the growing season. Results were published: “Reduction in Cold Season Greenhouse Heating Fuel via Recovery of Excess Solar Heat with Heat Pumps,” B. A. Krug and B. P. Luce, Acta Hort. (ISHS) 1170:539 – 546, 2017. 
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An experimental greenhouse created by one of Dr. Ben’s research students for his project on greenhouse energy modeling. 
The front (east facing) section of Dr. Ben’s home solar system. 
Dr. Ben experimenting with manual snow removal on his solar system: Labor intensive but effective. 
An experiment conducted by Dr. Ben on the use of heating wires to remove the snow accumulation at the bottom of a solar array, to enhance the ability of snow to slide off the panels. This was found to be semi-effective. 
These “Solar Pathfinders” are an older but still super-useful way of evaluating the potential impact of obstacles on shading a potential solar system. 
A large solar hot water system at Northern Vermont University, the acquisition and design of which was facilitated by Dr. Ben. 
Teaching concepts about gyroscopes: Gyroscopes are one of those things whose behavior is very hard to predict on intuitive grounds, and hence provide a convincing rationale as to why making the effort to learn physics is worthwhile!
In 2022 Dr. Ben re-energized his links with the New Mexico Solar Energy Association, authoring an historical summary of the organization ahead of the Solar 2002 Conference of the American Solar Energy Association (ASES), which appeared in the nationwide magazine Solar Today, and helped organize the NMSEA Solar Fiesta! event in conjunction with the Conference at the University of New Mexico.
Finally, seeing a need for more widespread foundational education in renewable energy in general, he founded Renewable Energy Now! in May 2022. A paper describing his experiences, and a Call-to-Action, can be downloaded here.
In his spare time, Dr. Ben is also a musician, and a digital artist.