In an effort to create what has come to be understood as a diversified energy portfolio, renewable energy has become a key component to our energy future. The market can certainly be evaluated based on increases in industry participants, growing adoption rates, larger revenue levels, international expansion and even by the growing number of renewable / clean energy companies entering the public market, however there are other perspectives to consider.

In addition to market data, evidence of renewable and clean energy mainstream acceptance is seen all around us. Take a look and you should notice a growing number of renewable and clean energy conferences, events that appear to be gaining momentum in terms of credibility, participation and sponsorship as more and more companies are embracing this industry in some capacity as part of their business model, whether that be from a cost cutting or image standpoint, or from the perspective that this industry offers viable business opportunities.

Another indicator comes from the increased blog coverage of renewable energy, which has acted as a forum for the passionate, for the opportunist and also the average day person who has come to understand the role that such technologies will undoubtedly play in their lives.If these signs are not enough one has to only turn the television on to networks such as CNBC to understand the surge in coverage of the renewable energy industry. For example CNBC has been running a new segment entitled Going Green that has been reviewing a wide range of renewable energy technologies. Today’s segment saw an interview piece with Dr. Robert Wilder, CEO & Founder of Wildershares, LLC and Manager of the WilderHill Clean Energy Index, an ongoing member of the RenewableEnergyStocks.com (RES) Online Industry Roundtable and frequent participant in RES industry articles, on market opportunities. This exposure is an example of the expanded coverage that industry experts such as Dr. Wilder are receiving, now more than ever, as renewables have become a part of today’s and tomorrow’s energy discussion.

As oil prices continue along their current path, our road towards even higher energy costs seems inevitable, taking us closer and closer towards alternatives to help resolve the impacts that years of living in a fossil fuel economy have created. This direction will in turn drive further innovation and adoption of renewable energy technology to the point where discussions such as this on ‘mainstream acceptance’ will be a thing of the past.