On the closing day of the International Energy Agency (IEA) SolarPACES 2022 conference in Albuquerque, NM, USA, a remarkable event unfolded as Mr. Xavier Lara was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Lara, who holds numerous prestigious positions, including Senior Vice President of CSP at Pacific Green Technologies Group (PGTK), CEO at the international consultancy AELIUS, CEO at the SPV Santa Cruz Termosolar, Renewable Energy International Senior Consultant on CSP for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and EU Climate Pact Ambassador for Spain, has been an influential figure in the solar thermal industry as well as in the green hydrogen and green ammonia sectors.
The esteemed SolarPACES chair, Dr. Gilles Flamant, presented the award in recognition of Mr. Lara’s extensive experience and international leadership in the sector, which spans across the development of CSP projects in China, Morocco, Dubai, India, and Spain.
During his acceptance speech, Mr. Lara paid tribute to the memory of Mr. Scott Frier, a cherished mentor and industry leader. Reflecting on the impact of those who came before him, Mr. Lara invoked the words of Isaac Newton, saying, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” In his speech, Mr. Lara emphasized that Mr. Frier was one such giant – not only because of his physical stature but also for being an exceptional person and an outstanding engineer.
By dedicating the award to Mr. Frier’s memory, Mr. Lara highlighted the importance of the legacy and contributions of those who have shaped the industry, reminding us all of the interconnected nature of progress and the value of recognizing the giants upon whose shoulders we stand.
In the below photograph, we see two esteemed pioneers of the solar industry, Dr. David Kearney (left) and Dr. Fred Morse (center). Dr. Morse is known as the father of CSP and the US Solar Program, while Dr. Kearney is renowned for his visionary work in designing the first CSP plants, Luz’s SEGS, in the early 1980s. Both individuals embody the ‘giants’ mentioned in Newton’s famous quote. In the SolarPACES closing ceremony, our CEO, Mr. Xavier Lara, had the honor of dedicating his Lifetime Achievement Award to the memory of Mr. Scott Frier, another giant in every sense of the word, while reflecting on the profound influence of these trailblazers in the field.
