Environmentalists and other policy makers have long touted the economic benefits of investing in energy efficiency and renewable projects. For California, that vision is on course to being realized.
Yesterday, EDF, Citi and Wilson Sonsini held Innovations in Energy Efficiency Finance II, a sequel to the successful conference we hosted in 2011. That year, we discussed several interesting ideas about how we might finance projects. Yesterday we heard from sector leaders on how those ideas are being implemented in California and beyond.
Citi and EDF conceived of this event as an opportunity to bring the energy efficiency and renewable industries together to discuss these opportunities and to build momentum for increased transaction flow. Judging by the makeup of the audience, I think we succeeded. I attend quite a few conferences to discuss energy efficiency and most of them are dominated by fellow public policy types. Yesterday, however, was a different story. Of the 185 attendees, over 2/3 were representing private sector companies in the clean energy or financing business.
As former Governor of Colorado, Bill Ritter noted, “California continues to take bold steps toward clean energy and provide the private sector with clear opportunities to invest in energy efficiency and renewables, critical components of our nation’s economic growth. A key part of achieving our clean energy potential, and creating jobs in America, is ensuring access to quality financing for homes and businesses that want to participate in the new energy economy.”