With Congress gridlocked, states have taken the lead in establishing markets for advanced energy through legislative action that sets energy objectives, provides regulatory guidance, and appropriates programmatic funding. However, the advanced energy industry is often absent from policy debates that could help or harm their business prospects as they take place in the 50 state capitals, missing the chance to leverage the experience of successful policies in the leading states to open up new market opportunities in others. Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) will provide a platform for making the unified voice of the advanced energy industry more successful in legislative efforts throughout the country.

Program Overview

The State Policy Program utilizes a national network of state industry organizations to provide a dynamic and nimble mechanism for promoting advanced energy legislation in state houses around the country. By sharing best practices from leading markets, fostering mentor relationships between leading states and developing states, and facilitating communication between the advanced energy industry and state legislators, AEE’s State Policy Program increases the capacity of member companies to advocate for better policy. Through the State Policy Program, AEE:

• Offers direct legislative assistance and development

• Engages industry leaders in development of policy priorities

• Provides a platform for interaction between industry and state legislators

AEE’s state policy team includes former state legislators, former energy office directors and experienced industry advocates who bring decades of innovation and success to this state-by-state effort to establish policies that enable advanced energy industry growth.

Legislative Assistance and Development

AEE provides state partners with the resources they need to develop effective legislation. Using both in-house expertise and an extensive network of policy innovators from around the country, AEE offers:

• A policy rapid response team to provide guidance on legislative language as it’s debated

• An Energy Policy Resource Center developed in partnership with the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University that will provide information on successful legislative approaches developed in different markets

• Annual policy conferences that review the past legislative session and share lessons learned and promote ideas and strategies for the next year’s legislative session.

Industry Engagement in State Policy

Advanced energy business leaders have a unique, real world perspective on what policies work to accelerate market development and industry growth. Their input is critical to helping legislative supporters understand what approaches are effective and what efforts are less productive. AEE member companies will have the opportunity to participate in a series of policy workshops organized by the State Policy Team to develop white papers that will inform policy development around the country.

Network of State Legislative Leaders

Legislators who are or could be champions of advanced energy in their states need assistance in determining the policy priorities of the advanced energy industry and in gaining a deeper understanding of how advanced energy benefits their state’s economy and its energy future. AEE will provide a networking platform for legislators who are interested in advanced energy, as well as policy guidance that will help them be more effective. Through engagement with organizations such as the National Conference of State Legislatures, our state partners will have increased opportunities for direct interaction with state legislators.

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