#NCEW20: BIPARTISANSHIP IS KEY TO AMERICA’S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE

In a day and age when political acrimony is the new normal, today’s National Clean Energy Week’s Policy Maker Symposium revealed an emerging spirit of bipartisanship that just may provide a model for the rest of society to emulate.

Karen Harbert of the American Gas Association set the tone for the day, beginning her speech by noting that our goals are within reach “when governorns, senators, and members of congress as well as industry leaders come from both sides of the aisle” to work together on a clean energy future. Representative John Curtis (R-UT) discussed what it means to be a “climate conservative” and urged advocates to ignore extremism on both sides. Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) echoed that sentiment and encouraged us all to remember to engage with younger generations: “young people want to be a part of the clean energy economy.” And the last panel of the day, “Report from the Front Lines: How Conservatives Can Talk About Clean Energy,” specifically dealt with this disconnect between what people think conservatives believe about clean energy and climate, and what they actually believe.

WASHINGTON EXAMINER AND CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBLE SOLUTIONS HOST IOWA ROUNDTABLE

Outside the Beltway, the Washington Examiner and Citizens for Reponsible Energy Solutions hosted an Iowa Clean Energy Week roundtable today moderated by Examiner Energy Reporter Josh Siegel. The event featured Iowa state energy experts, including Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who lived up to his informal title of being “the father” of the Wind Energy Tax Credit, one of the most cost effective U.S. tax policies of the past few decades. Iowa’s dedication to all-of-the-above energy solutions, the state’s prog-growth, pro-job agenda, and its pragmatic, can-do attitude towards makes the state a model in moving clean energy forward.

The Hawkeye State has been called “the red state with the clean energy blueprint.” Iowa generates 42 percent of its electricity from wind energy, and it is also the nation's largest fuel ethanol and biodiesel producer, accounting for one-fourth of U.S. fuel ethanol production capacity and one-fifth of biodiesel manufacturing capacity. You can watch a full-length recording of the roundtable here.



CLEAN ENERGY PROFESSIONALS NETWORK INTO THE EVENING

Dozens of clean energy advocates and professionals took advantage of two our of our partners’ virtual networking events Thursday evening. Greentown Labs celebrated the launch of their new Houston incubator with an “EnergyBar” and shared their plans to help make the “Energy Capital of the World” the “Clean Energy Capital of the World.” Additionally, EDP Renewables hosted a professional discussion of the value of competition and the opportunities for new clean energy development through the creation of organized markets. These networking events may not have had the “spirits” of a traditional happy hour, but participants certainly seemed to be in good spirits and make valuable connections nonetheless.​​​​​

CONGRESSMEN RALPH NORMAN AND WILLIAM TIMMONS SEND NCEW VIDEO GREETING FROM SOUTH CAROLINA

Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC), who serves as co-chair of the Congressional Solar Caucus, and Representative William Timmons (R-SC) posted a filmed statement celebrating NCEW. Watch the clip below:



SENATOR MURKOWSKI’S NCEW SPEECH MAKES HEADLINES

Yesterday, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) addressed the NCEW audience, and her remarks about the American Energy Innovation Act are already making headlines. Murkowski will wrap up her 12 years of leadership on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) at the end of this year, having spent six years as ranking member and another six as chair, and implored clean energy interests not to give up hope on seeing a clean energy package pass before her term as chair is up.

"Some are already looking ahead to next year, past the elections and to a new Congress, as they contemplate what is possible on clean energy, and I understand that impulse," she said. "But I would also encourage you not to give up hope on meaningful legislation before the end of this year."

Read more at Utility Dive.

TENNESSEE AND IOWA GOVERNORS ANNOUNCES NCEW PROCLAMATION

National Clean Energy Week 2020 has become the largest one ever – officially! Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued state proclamations today recognizing September 21-25, 2020 as Clean Energy Week in their home states. A total of 30 states and the District of Columbia have now officially recognized NCEW. For a map showing all the states with official proclamations, click here.


Don’t miss tomorrow’s events, including our final Networking Session as we close out another spectacular National Clean Energy Week!

NOTABLE QUOTES FROM DAY FOUR OF NCEW

“It just took off because of entrepreneurship, because of people willing to invest, because environmentalists got behind it, and that’s how I got to be the ‘father’ of the Wind Energy Tax Credit—but I wear that badge proudly.”

-Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

“The moral obligation we have to our kids...it’s costing more...But our solutions have to provide something tangible to people too as we move forward...We have to demonstrate that clean energy will improve their lives.”

-Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL)

“If you look past the headlines and past the hyperbole, you will find lots of good men and women on both sides of the aisle that want to work together and want to solve this [climate change]”

-Representative John Curtis (R-UT)

“As a builder and a businessman, I understand how clean energies fuel our industries and add well-paying jobs to our economy.”

-Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC)

“It is our obligation to leave the environment better than we found it for our children.”

-Representative William Timmons (R-SC)

TOMORROW’S SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

9:00 - 9:30 AM ET
Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL), Member, House Ways and Means Committee

10:00 - 11:00 AM ET
Markets Over Mandates: The Future of Electricity Competition
Energy Network

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM ET
Rep. David McKinley (R-WV), Member, House Energy and Commerce Committee

12:00 - 1:00 PM ET
Designing Reliability: From Macro Solutions to Microgrids

2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Clean Energy and the November Election

3:15 - 4:30 PM ET
Gen Z, Climate and the GOP

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We'd be nothing without our friends. Thank you to all of NCEW20's sponsors!

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To learn more about National Clean Energy Week please visit, nationalcleanenergyweek.org.