CICE welcomes new Director of Operations
CICE is excited to welcome Jennifer Reiser as our new Director of Operations. Jennifer will be responsible for aligning operational strategies with the CICE’s long-term goals and instrumental in optimizing processes, and supporting organizational growth and impact.
Jennifer has decades of experience in non-profit and organization management, most recently serving as the Chief Operating Officer of the Billings Chamber of Commerce (Montana). She is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management, serves on the Midwest Institute Board of Regents, and received her Certified Chamber Executive credential in 2019 from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.
She is a graduate of Rocky Mountain College and had a career in Environmental Public Health prior to joining the Billings Chamber in 2011.
Jennifer is a recognized leader and speaker, both locally and nationally, on leadership and workforce development, organization and change management, and is the author of Leading In Color – Leadership Lessons from the Animal World, leadership workbooks focused on the leadership traits of animals and how human leaders can emulate these traits and intentionally grow their leadership skills.
New CICE Report/Survey Finds IRA Has Significant Economic Impacts on Clean Energy Businesses and Communities
The Inflation Reduction Act has proven to be a positive economic generator, creating 600K jobs and adding over $200B to the economy
(October 15, 2024) — Businesses in the clean energy industry report that the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the CHIPS Act, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) have helped them grow, create jobs, and expand their economic footprint throughout the country.
The survey engaged nearly 930 clean energy and clean vehicle businesses across the U.S. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with stakeholders in six states across the construction, manufacturing, and professional services industries. The findings emphasize the positive impacts of the IRA, which resulted in new technology expansion and job creation, and spurred growth and innovation across various sectors, including energy efficiency, renewable electricity generation, energy storage, and electric/alternative transportation. Many major provisions of the IRA have enjoyed a long history of bipartisan support.
Conducted by BW Research Partnership for the national, nonpartisan business group E2 and partners Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) and the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI), the nationwide poll of clean energy business owners found:
Key Findings:
This survey showed strong industry support for the IRA. Eighty-five percent of respondents said the IRA was “very important” or “somewhat important” to their companies' growth.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they created jobs as a direct result of the IRA (64%)
Federal tax credits through the IRA provided certainty and reduced market risk, incentivizing the private sector to invest in clean energy technologies, particularly emerging technologies. These clearer guidelines boosted investor confidence and allowed growth.
The IRA adds financial stability to a nascent and growing set of technologies to help develop a suite of next-generation clean, domestic energy production options while onshoring manufacturing and creating over 467,000 jobs during the construction phase and at least 154,000 permanent American jobs.
Most respondents were considered small businesses, with roughly 100 employees or less and a majority of respondents have been in business for at least eight years (76%).
These initiatives have provided much-needed investments in rural areas. The high rate of new project installations, especially in rural areas, has created a transition pathway for workers from struggling industries to move into skilled clean energy jobs.
"The IRA is proving to be a tremendous accelerator for the clean energy economy, delivering a significant return on investment for the U.S. through the jobs and capital investments it has helped create. Equally important is the transformational impact the IRA is having in rural communities across the country, where new manufacturing jobs and tax revenues are being generated—bringing much-needed economic opportunities to areas where they have been difficult to realize,” said Ryan Evans, executive director of CICE.
This report serves as a reminder of the broader economic impact of clean energy investments and how policy can create certainty and lower market risk for investors across all sectors of the clean energy industry. Repealing or undermining either of these policies would slow investment and hinder the development of new technologies, jeopardizing job growth and economic progress, particularly in regions that need it most. Further, hindering the development of new technologies would weaken the U.S.’s effort to diversify our energy sources and achieve energy independence.
CICE recognizes the historically bipartisan support for most of the major provisions and applauds the efforts of many lawmakers who recognize and support the IRA's significant contributions to creating good-paying American manufacturing jobs while increasing our domestic clean energy production capacity.
###
About “Impact Study of Arrested IRA Investment”
The national survey of nearly 930 business stakeholders was conducted in August 2024, concurrent with the second anniversary of the IRA. It was complemented by interviews with key executives involved in clean energy development, construction, and manufacturing. The survey sought to capture business sentiment about the direct impacts of the IRA, Bipartisan Infrastructure Act (BIL), the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, as well as state energy policies, on clean energy businesses’ hiring practices, revenue, and decision-making. A larger focus was placed on the impacts of the IRA as opposed to other federal policies due to the IRA’s broad impact on the clean energy and clean vehicles industries.
For more information on the survey, see Appendix A in the report.
About “Clean Economy Works” Impact Analysis
This analysis provides a thorough economic prediction of the impacts of the 338 announcements by filling in the gaps of publicly announced information. Modeled impacts differ from initial estimates offered by companies announcing new projects, tracked by E2. Ninety of the 338 announcements provided no capital investment estimate and 92 provided no job creation estimate. Additionally, those estimates were inconsistently defined, lacking clarity on whether they were direct jobs only or direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and if they were for construction or permanent positions.
For more information, see Appendix C in the report.
About Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy: Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) is a national network and information hub for local chambers of commerce and economic development organizations. Created and led by chamber of commerce leaders, CICE helps fellow chambers and their member companies successfully navigate and prosper in the clean energy space. CICE provides access to clean energy information, best practices, energy experts, incentives, and business opportunities. Visit CICE at www.chambersforinnovation.com.
About E2: E2 is a national, nonpartisan group of business leaders, investors, and professionals from every sector of the economy who advocate for smart policies that are good for the economy and good for the environment. Our members have founded or funded more than 2,500 companies, created more than 600,000 jobs, and manage more than $100 billion in venture and private equity capital. For more information, see www.e2.org or follow us on Twitter at @e2org.
About Clean Energy Leadership Institute: The Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI) is building a multiracial, diverse, and inclusive community of change-makers working across sectors and disciplines to lead an equitable, decarbonized, and resilient energy ecosystem.
Partner Quotes:
Bob Keefe, executive director of E2 and author of the recently released book “Clean Economy NOW” about the IRA, said:
“The impacts of this landmark policy are now crystal clear – as are the consequences if it’s repealed or rolled back.
“We now know the IRA is driving the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs and generating billions in new wages and tax revenues for workers and communities in parts of our country that need it the most. And we now also know that if it goes away, businesses will lose money, workers will lose jobs and our economy will lose steam.”
Esther Morales, executive director of CELI said:
"The IRA and other policies have created unprecedented opportunities for young people and people of color to access the benefits of the clean energy economy.
“As businesses said in our survey, all of that is at risk if we go backward on the progress we’re just now beginning to make.”
Philip Jordan, vice president at BW Research, said:
“Businesses told us loud and clear that the IRA is a game-changer for their companies, their employees and for our economy.
“Taking it away means taking away revenues, jobs, and opportunities - not just for their companies and their employees, but for the local communities where they’re building these factories.”
New issues brief: The Value of Wind & Solar Combined with Energy Storage
Energy storage might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about energy security, but it’s becoming increasingly important to ensuring a stable, reliable, and cost-effective power grid. From balancing supply and demand to providing backup power during emergencies, energy storage technologies are key to modernizing our energy infrastructure and supporting economic growth.
For chambers focused on supporting and attracting business, understanding and advocating for energy storage can be a game-changer in maintaining a competitive edge. CICE’s new energy storage brief covers what energy storage is and the important role it has to play within our grid system.
Learn more here.
What role do EVs play in transportation infrastructure funding? CICE breaks it down in a new brief covering EV registration fees
We’ve always relied on the gas tax to fund our roads and bridges, but greater fuel efficiency has been chipping away at that revenue stream for decades. As electric vehicles (EVs) become more common, how we fund roads and bridges is changing, and that has real economic consequences. EV registration fees are meant to ensure that everyone pays their fair share, but they can also discourage EV adoption and slow down economic growth.
For chambers of commerce, it's important to look at these fees and think about fairer ways to support transportation infrastructure without hurting the local economy.
Check out CICE’s EV registration brief to learn more.
CICE releases policy brief on anti-ESG legislation
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics have a major role in assessing long-term financial risks and opportunities, yet anti-ESG legislation is popping up across the country threatening to drive up costs for businesses and reduce the economic stability of your community.
Check out CICE’s new policy brief designed to help chambers of commerce and economic development organizations better navigate this complex topic. We explain the fundamentals of ESG, what anti-ESG legislation looks like, and the threat anti-ESG imposes to business and the free market.
Find CICE’s full brief here.
CICE welcomes new Southern Regional Director
CICE is proud to welcome Kyle Sheldon as CICE’s Southern Regional Director. His responsibilities include cultivating relationships with chambers of commerce and economic development organizations within the region, particularly in Texas.
Kyle spent the majority of his career working in the energy sector before jumping into the chamber of commerce and economic development world, most recently serving as President & CEO for Partnership Lake Houston.
He has served on numerous boards across multiple industries all with the intent of trying to improve his community and make a difference for future generations. His move to join the CICE team made perfect sense merging his past experience with his desire to make an impact.
Kyle completed his undergraduate in Marketing and Economics at Hardin Simmons University before pursuing his MBA in energy at the University of Oklahoma. He is currently working on his IOM credentials with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and set to complete the program in 2025.
CICE welcomes new policy director
CICE is proud to welcome Rob Bradham as CICE’s Director of Policy. His responsibilities include researching and monitoring relevant regulatory and legislative matters and helping to communicate CICE’s positions to stakeholders.
Rob has over a decade of experience working with local chambers of commerce, most recently as CEO of the Greater Dalton (GA) Chamber, where he served since 2015. Under his leadership, the Dalton chamber launched and managed “Believe Greater Dalton,” a five-year community strategic plan. The chamber also advocated for a number of pro-business measures and worked with the Joint Development Authority to recruit new manufacturing to Whitfield County, increasing the diversity of the manufacturing base and contributing to the long-term economic stability of the community. Rob was an active community partner in the Qcells expansion development in Dalton County. Qcells is an industry-leading clean energy solutions provider.
Prior to his tenure at Dalton, he also served in senior policy roles at the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce (TN) and ChamberRVA, the chamber of the Greater Richmond (VA) region. Before his work in the chamber industry, Rob was a private sector lobbyist in Virginia for nearly ten years.
CICE releases 2023 Clean Energy Jobs & Economic Impact Reports
CICE has released our annual Clean Energy Jobs and Economic Impact Reports for multiple states across the country. These reports highlight the significant impact of clean energy industries on each state’s individual economy, including job growth (now 3.3 million across the U.S.) and major developments and projects in each state in 2023.
This year, we've expanded the number of reports from six to ten. Two-page downloads are available for these states:
Arizona
Colorado
Georgia
Indiana
Michigan
North Carolina
Ohio
South Carolina
Texas
West Virginia
CICE and Conservatives for Clean Energy honor six clean energy champions in NC
CICE attends NC Clean Energy Champions Awards
Yesterday, CICE’s Ryan Evans, IOM and Michele Querry traveled to the City Club Raleigh for the 9th Annual North Carolina Clean Energy Champions Awards, co-hosted by Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy & Conservatives for Clean Energy (NC)
We were proud to honor these six champions for their commitment to clean energy and economic innovation.
👏 Cornerstone Clean Energy Champion Award winner:
Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) received this prestigious award for their continued commitment to helping NC realize the economic benefits of clean energy. They recently announced 3 of most significant econ investments in NC’s history re: clean energy and transportation.
Other clean energy champion businesses:
🏢 Charlotte Regional Business Alliance for participating in several events with federal, state, and local government officials and hosting over a dozen Taiwanese #EV manufacturers / suppliers to discuss investment opportunities in NC.
🏢 ABB for ongoing efforts to educate NC’s legislators, governor, state agencies, and other decision makers about the importance of pro-electric transportation policies, programs, and investments in NC.
🏢 Mystic Farm and Distillery for for being the world's largest solar powered bourbon distillery & for operating w zero-waste in their production process. The New York Times featured them as part of a “36 hours in Durham” story.
And two legislators were recognized:
🏛️ Representative Patrick Mchenry for co-sponsoring National Clean Energy Week resolution in the House every year since its inception.
🏛️ Representative Kyle Hall, who as a Chair of the NC House Energy & Public Utilities Committee, has spearheaded legislation on solar net metering, solar leasing, funding for a NC university energy center, and a study of possible utility market reforms.
Congratulations and thank you to our 2023 North Carolina Clean Energy Champion Award winners!
CICE staff attend, present at Ohio Energy Conference
Last week, the Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy team attended the Ohio Energy Conference to present and meet with chambers and business leaders across the state. Hosted by the Energy Coalition of Ohio , the OEC is the state's fastest growing energy education and networking event.
CICE’s director of public policy Emily Burlinghaus discussed challenges and opportunities for #energystorage companies on a panel alongside Kyle Shen, CEO & President of Nexceris; Roland Dixon, President of Special Power Sources; and moderator Rick Stockburger, President & CEO of BRITE Energy Innovators.
Emily highlighted federal tax credits (such as 48C and 48E) available to energy storage companies through the #InflationReductionAct, as well as state-level initiatives (procurement targets, grid firming requirements, clean peak standards, and compensation mechanisms like indexed storage credits and resource adequacy contracts).
The opportunity to deploy energy storage in Ohio offers utilities and grid operators new avenues to ensure reliability in light of a complex energy transition.
Some other notable themes from the conference:
Discussion of opportunities to overcome roadblocks to utility-scale solar in Ohio
Debate of potential improvements to grid data transparency to benefit ratepayers and manufacturers
Profiles of efforts to ensure that state and federal incentives serve environmental sustainability and equity goals
Highlighting of #innovation to promote and commercialize clean energy tech in Ohio
Repeated emphasis on workforce development to ensure both scalability and reliability of emerging clean energy tech
Along with Emily, recent additions to the CICE team Logan ONeill, IOM, OCED and Kelsey (Forren) Pepitone attended. Logan summed up the experience as eye-opening: “The amount of companies out there that are starting to pop up to address this evolving and growing industry is happening at such a rapid rate, there was a lot of discussion about not over-regulating, and the risk stifling the innovation and progress.”
Thanks to the Energy Coalition of Ohio for a great event.
CICE applauds the release of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
In response to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 framework recently released, Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) issues the following statement:
Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) applauds the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 framework released yesterday that packages the elements of clean energy and climate policy that are the most impactful to further accelerate the clean energy economy, take meaningful steps to address climate change, and fight inflation.
“The clean energy and climate policies included in this package are a tremendous win for our country and economy. In particular, a ten-year extension of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for renewable energy, which has demonstrated a significant return on investment over the years, will generate hundreds of thousands of jobs, create billions of dollars of economic activity, and help fight inflation,” said Ryan Evans, executive director of CICE. “Further, the extension of the tax credits will create certainty for clean energy development that will protect Americans from the volatility of natural gas prices, increase demand for renewable energy, and help decrease utility expenses for ratepayers across the country.”
Other key provisions in this package include tax credits for electric vehicles (EVs) and domestic clean energy manufacturing, as well as funding to accelerate mining of critical minerals needed to power the clean energy transition and increase competitiveness. These, combined with the ITC, will not only boost our economy but will also help our country achieve energy independence. The inclusion of funding to address environmental justice will improve the health and quality of life in underserved communities as well as create high-paying quality jobs where they are needed most.
CICE urges Congress to move quickly and pass this important legislation.