Federal budget and tax reform issues are likely to dominate Washington, DC in 2013. This provides a unique opportunity to promote innovative policies that create a more favorable business climate for the advanced energy industry. AEE offers a fresh, thoughtful, bipartisan business perspective that supports the full range of advanced energy technologies. AEE is also building the key relationships, strong business partnerships, and staff expertise necessary to place the advanced energy perspective at the fore in the tax reform and deficit reduction conversation.

Program Objectives

With the input of our advisors and member companies, AEE has established a set of objectives that will guide a persistent engagement to promote secure, clean, affordable energy:

• Avoid harmful disruption: To avoid uncertainty and disruption in the marketplace, AEE supports extending existing credits on a short-term basis so as to allow an orderly transition to a more effective and sustainable energy tax policy.

• Redefine the tax paradigm: The time has come for a new approach to tax policy in achieving national goals in energy. AEE is developing a new policy paradigm that promises certainty for businesses and investors, establishes a more limited and defined role for tax policy in energy development, supports a range of technologies in reaching their potential, and focuses resources on innovation and commercialization rather than long-term support – laying the foundation for real reform. Download our Federal Tax Principles here.

• Broaden the conversation: Tax policy is only one mechanism to help innovative companies grow and attract private investment. AEE is working to make sure that the federal government has a comprehensive capital innovation strategy as opposed to just a tax strategy.

Establishing Policy Leadership

AEE is well equipped to effectively engage across a range of political environments and possible policy scenarios to bring a pragmatic business perspective to the federal tax debate.

• New policy framework: AEE is developing a fresh market-based approach to promoting innovation in federal tax and budgetary policy. Working with economists, tax policy experts, business leaders, coalition partners and key policymakers and their staff from both sides of the aisle, AEE’s goal is to create a better business climate for the advanced energy industry for years to come.

• Industry insight: AEE is establishing an Advisory Committee, made up of leaders of member companies, to aid our staff in the development of policies and positions on tax and budget policy. This Committee will be constituted to represent a broad range of energy technologies, viewpoints, and expertise.

Engagement & Advocacy

AEE will leverage substantial assets to promote tax policies that support secure, clean, affordable energy. Our team includes top government relations professionals, former government officials, and senior tax policy experts in Washington, DC, and around the country. Deep energy industry experience and a wide network of professionals and partners have enabled AEE to rapidly establish itself as a credible business voice for the advanced energy industry.

AEE’s ability to impact the federal dialogue depends on the meaningful engagement of our corporate members. Our Advisory Committee, comprised of a diverse set of business leaders, will aid our staff in the development of policies and positions.

Congress can more effectively spur private sector innovation in energy technologies by taking a new approach that better utilizes federal dollars, according to AEE's Malcolm Woolf, Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs.

In testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy Science, Space and Technology in March, Woolf called on Congress to utilize a core set of principles to reorient federal financial support to more effectively encourage private sector innovation and promote a secure, clean and affordable energy future.

Watch his testimony below or read it here.

Read AEE’s comments submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee's Energy Work Group on Tax Reform.

Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about this initiative.