Funds in 12 States Create New Joint Effort to Promote Clean
Energy
On January 29, 2004, 17 public benefits funds from 12 states announced they will
collaborate to promote clean energy projects and companies. The funds have
agreed to support a new non-profit organization -- the Clean
Energy States Alliance (CESA) -- to help them work together. CESA’s
members include the clean energy funds from the following twelve states:
California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New
York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. Collectively,
these funds will provide approximately $3.5 billion for clean energy over the
next decade.
“States see clean energy as a way to improve the environment, but also as a
powerful economic development tool,” according to Lewis Milford, Executive
Director of CESA, this new organization. “By working together rather than
going it alone, these states can build even bigger clean energy markets, spur
technology innovation, create more jobs in 21st century clean energy industries,
and more quickly clean up the environment. They can do all that and save money
by leveraging each other’s funding.”
CESA will advance new, multi-state efforts to promote solar, wind, fuel cells
and other clean energy projects and investments. The initiative shows how states
have become the key “laboratories of experimentation” for economically and
environmentally-sound clean energy programs. Joint initiatives also can reduce
the costs of individual state programs, while combining the power of many states
for more effective strategies.
“CESA provides an ideal forum for the renewables states to share experiences
and learn from each other," John Geesman, commissioner of the California
Energy Commission (CEC). "We’re gaining momentum, and one day will
represent the prevailing energy policy in this country.”
“We view this collaboration as a tremendous opportunity to join forces in
order to leverage both our resources and expertise for the advancement of clean
energy throughout all of our states," said Richard Barredo, president of
the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund.
(Source: CESA news release, 1/29/04)