Across the nation, governors in red and blue states alike are coming together to dedicate the week of September 20, 2021, as National Clean Energy Week. While resolutions such as these can often go unnoticed, this one is special because it is doing something so rare in today’s politics; it’s reaching across party lines.
National Clean Energy Week informs the public and policymakers, through panel discussions, events, and conversations, about everything going on in the clean energy space and what policies and technologies will further spur innovation. While relatively new, the week has quickly become a leading resource for policymakers, with 30 state governors officially recognizing the week and over 130 organizations participating. Yesterday, Heather Reams, the chairwoman of National Clean Energy Week and the Executive Director for the Citizens for Energy Solutions (CRES), joined Drew Bond on the Right Voices interview series hosted by C3 Solutions.
Reams began National Clean Energy week five years ago to raise awareness of clean technology after noticing that there is a designated “day for everything! There’s a day for donuts and martinis.” Reams asked herself, “why not [a] clean energy week?”
This idea quickly germinated and became a week-long event that has gotten notice across the country. The popularity of National Clean Energy Week has brought lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to focus on what Reams describes as “low hanging fruit” in this space, such as “innovation and global competitiveness.”
In Reams’ mind, this has created a consensus bipartisan effort to address climate and clean energy issues:
“We’ll start to see policies evolve in ways that are really going to be more bipartisan, and it should be more bipartisan, just like any other major issue that Congress is trying to tackle.”
During this year’s National Clean Energy Week, which marks the first in the post-Trump era, attendees will hear a wide range of policy experts, including active members of Congress, private sector entrepreneurs, and officials in the Biden Administration, weigh in on a variety of issues. These issues include:
- Carbon-free technologies;
- Critical minerals and supply chains;
- Regulatory reform;
- Infrastructure; and
- Leveraging U.S. policy to reduce global emissions.
National Clean Energy Week will run from September 20-24. Registration is available at https://nationalcleanenergyweek.org/
For anyone interested in energy and environmental issues, attending National Clean Energy Week is a must.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.
