Discussion Panel at the White House Clean Energy Forum
July 16, 2010Courtney Gregoire is Director, National Export Initiative.
Today, I moderated a panel at the White House Clean Energy Forum on “International Leadership, Competitiveness, and Exports” featuring three industry leaders: Bruce Sohn, President of First Solar; Mary Ann Wright, Vice President of Global Technology and Innovation Accelerator for Johnson Controls; and Steve Bolze, the President and CEO of GE Power and Water.
With approximately 100 clean energy business and thought leaders, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke kicked off the forum with his words: “The development of clean energy and energy efficient technologies could spur the greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century.”
A spirited conversation ensued as panelists and audience members alike commented that the key to expanding clean energy exports is increasing domestic demand for clean energy, and that starts with enacting comprehensive energy legislation. Others commented on the significant clean energy investments made by other countries from China to Brazil to Germany. Competing in this globally competitive marketplace, as one audience member put it, requires a call for the “revolutionary, not evolutionary.”
ITA is attempting to rise to that challenge by developing a strategy to double renewable energy and energy efficiency exports in the next five years as part of President Obama’s National Export Initiative.
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