CESA Webinar: Linking State Clean Energy and Economic Development Activities

The Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA), a nonprofit coalition of state clean energy programs, hosted this webinar to explore how states can use their clean energy programs to advance economic development in partnership with state and federal economic development agencies.

To address climate change and scale up clean energy, America needs robust clean energy companies, industry clusters, and job creation programs. Without a mature industry that can quickly advance innovation, create new products, and sustain job creation, the promise of a clean energy economy will not be realized. States will play a dominant role to support and grow clean energy companies. Today many state clean energy funds are beginning to focus on economic development activities to support clean energy markets in their states. At the same time, state level economic development and finance agencies are looking towards clean energy as a new sector for growth. And the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) has established a Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund to support local and regional climate and clean energy initiatives.

This webinar discussed current efforts and strategies to advance the growth of clean energy industries through use and integration of economic development and clean energy tools at the state and federal level. To that end, representatives from several state clean energy funds, state finance agencies and US EDA presented leading economic development clean energy initiatives, lessons learned and best practices. The webinar also began to identify opportunities to leverage each-others experiences and activities going forward.

Speakers:

• Janet Joseph, Director of Clean Energy Research and Market Development, NYSERDA
• Patrick Cloney, Executive Director, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
• Toby Rittner, President and CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies
• David R. Ives, AICP, Economic Development Administration, U.S. Dept. of Commerce

An audience Q&A followed these presentations. This webinar was hosted by CESA Founder Lew Milford.