I have a very low opinion of ACORE. Representatives, interns and miscellaneous hangers-on have called me as many as four times a day and up to 16 times a week. Callers have been unresponsive when I ask for their street address and other particulars. Some have even passed ACORE off as a government agency. I have asked more times than I care to remember to be removed from their calling list. We are on the FCC "Do Not Call" list. They either do not know what the "Do Not Call" list is or chose deliberately to ignore it. The most recent called me a maniac and hung up.
They fail to understand that my telephone exists for MY convenience, not theirs.
I was sorry to read the review of ACORE by Windandsun, apparently a German magazine in our field. I was the founder of ACORE, and the person whom Windandsun criticized in their review. Imagine one person standing alone in 2001, wanting to do something good to make renewable energy successful in the world. Hermann Scheer of Germany started the World Council On Renewable Energy (WCRE) and asked me to chair the US chapter, and I agreed. Coming home, I asked friends, what shall we do here, and we agreed, we would found ACORE. For three years, I worked for no income at all, working full time at the task of making renewable energy successful in America. Yes, we considered it important to connect the US to the tremendous progress in Germany and China, so we traveled there to do that task. In the end we assembled over 600 organizational members to ACORE, creating many national meetings such as the Renewable Energy Finance Forum in New York, San Francisco and Miami, the national policy forum in the Cannon Caucus Room of the US Capitol, the renewable energy trade shows, and the 2008 global meeting on renewable energy in which 8,600 officials attended. I am sorry if the reviewer was disappointed, but for one man standing in 2001 with nothing but an idea to benefit the world, I believe we accomplished many of our goals, and ACORE continues today with fabulous leadership and staff, all dedicated to the cause of making renewable energy successful in our world, in our time. There is much to be done, the cause continues, and we must push on towards our goals. I give ACORE a highly positive rating, not because I founded it, but because it has continued on, with dedicated staff and members, making a real difference, causing renewable energy to be successful in our time.
Review from Guidestar
My company was a member for 3 years, but didn't renew this year because we couldn't justify the pricey dues. ACORE events were great in the beginning, but began to get stale, with the same (or similar) speakers saying the same things. President seems to more concerned about promoting himself and traveling internationally than providing member benefits. Various committees have been formed, but very few of them actually accomplish anything. This org needs a strong executive director who will interact with members, and focus on reaching policy makers to educate and compel them to make good legislative decisions that support renewable energy. You don't need to be a member to attend their events (though membership does provide discounted passes). Consider this when considering membership.