|
FOR
IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Public,
Private Sector
Leaders Chart
Renewable
Energy Future
at ACORE
National
Renewable
Energy Policy
Forum
ACORE
Event
Highlights
Industry
Progress,
Outlines
Policy Path
for Continued
Growth
WASHINGTON,
D.C. (February
7, 2013) –
Secretary of
the U.S.
Department of
Interior Ken
Salazar joined
industry,
financial and
government
leaders
yesterday on
Capitol Hill
at the
American
Council On
Renewable
Energy’s
(ACORE)
National
Renewable
Energy Policy
Forum to
recognize the
progress for
renewable
energy and
call for
renewed
bi-partisan
support for
expanding
America’s
domestic
energy
sources.
“Renewable
energy plays a
critical – and
ever expanding
– role in our
nation’s
domestic
energy
production, an
important part
of the
President’s
energy
strategy” said
Salazar. “The
34 renewable
energy
proposals for
public lands
approved under
this
Administration
generate jobs
and economic
development
while
encouraging
innovation and
private
investment in
renewable
energy
sources. We
need to
continue these
investments in
coming years.”
Renewable
energy sources
accounted for
nearly half of
all new
domestic
electrical
generating
capacity in
2012, making
it the fastest
growing energy
segment.
Renewable
energy also
shows signs of
approaching
cost parity
with
traditional
energy
sources. Vice
Admiral Dennis
McGinn,
president and
CEO of ACORE,
pointed to
research
showing the
cost for
electricity
produced from
new onshore
wind farms
will be lower
than new
advanced or
conventional
coal plants by
2017 as a
clear
incentive for
the public
sector to
pursue
policies that
encourage
continued
renewable
energy growth
and
innovation.
“Now
is not the
time to fetter
the progress
and
achievements
of the
renewable
energy
industry. We
must pursue
federal and
state policies
that unlock
new sources of
capital from
the private
sector and
create market
certainty,”
said Vice
Admiral
McGinn. “The
clean energy
economy that
is being
created
addresses
societal
concerns about
our economy,
health and the
environment.
Renewable
energy
leverages
public
investment to
create jobs
while making
us more secure
and benefiting
our
environment.”
American
investment in
energy
production
dates back to
land grants
for coal and
timber in the
1800s. In
recent years,
increased
private sector
investment and
new federal
and state
policies for
renewables
have helped
reduce costs,
increase
production,
generate new
jobs
throughout the
country, and
spur
innovation,
according to
ACORE Policy
Forum
co-chairs
Roger
Ballentine,
president of
Green
Strategies and
Kathleen
McGinty,
senior VP and
managing
director for
strategic
growth, Weston
Solutions.
“There
has been more
than $500
billion in
private sector
investment in
renewable
energy
technology in
the past two
years,” said
Ballentine.
“At the same
time, the cost
of solar, wind
and other
renewable
energy sources
continues to
decline.”
“America
has an
opportunity to
capture
significant
portions of
the clean
energy
marketplace,
not only
domestically,
but throughout
the world,”
added McGinty.
“Creating a
clean energy
economy is
vital to
boosting our
economy. More
renewable
energy
leverages
investment,
creates jobs,
and helps the
environment.
It is a
win-win for
everyone.”
The
ACORE National
Renewable
Energy Policy
Forum (http://www.acorepolicyforum.com) is
an annual
event that
brings
together
high-level
speakers from
government,
business and
non-profits to
discuss the
critical
energy policy
issues
surrounding
renewable
energy, energy
efficiency,
sustainable
development,
the
environment
and related
fields.
About
ACORE:
ACORE, a
501(c)(3)
non-profit
membership
organization,
is dedicated
to building a
secure and
prosperous
America with
clean,
renewable
energy. ACORE
seeks to
advance
renewable
energy through
finance,
policy,
technology,
and market
development
and is
concentrating
its member
focus in 2013
on National
Defense &
Security,
Power
Generation
&
Infrastructure,
and
Transportation.
Additional
information is
available at www.acore.org.
ACORE
Media Contact:
Turner Houston
202-777-7552
###
|
