Updated June 12, 2018 │ Lynn Abramson, President, Clean Energy Business Network

Platform will Showcase the Benefits of Clean Energy Industries and Highlight Policy Recommendations

With increased focus on managing physical and cyber risks to the energy system, grid reliability as well as resilient buildings and infrastructure are paramount. In May 2018, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (CEBN’s parent organization) initiated a strategic dialogue on resilient and reliable energy infrastructure to define the role that clean energy technologies play in providing these essential services and to identify measures that can be taken to drive investment and deployment.

The CEBN is leading complementary grassroots initiatives to inform and engage small- and medium-size businesses across the nation in policy issues arising out of this dialogue (e.g., see this sign-on letter to learn more). CEBN members at the Executive Circle level—which provides the highest level of access to the network’s offerings—will also be welcome to participate in some aspects of the Resilience and Reliability Dialogue more directly, as explained below.

 Background on the BCSE Resilience and Reliability Dialogue

Whether it be federal infrastructure proposals under consideration by the Trump administration and Congress, proceedings under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), or state or city level actions, the BCSE will work with its broad-based membership to help policymakers improve grid reliability and preparedness in the public and private sectors.

This new strategic dialogue will provide an important engagement platform for business leaders to learn from thought leaders and share expertise as well as to develop and implement advocacy strategies. Its activities include a Thought Leader Speaker Series, the development and release of a BCSE White Paper on Resilience and Reliability and BCSE/CEBN Education and Advocacy Initiatives.

The Thought Leader Speaker Series kicked off in May 2018 with the following calls held or scheduled thus far:

• National Governors Association (May 17, 2018): Sue Gander, Director and Dan Lauf, Energy Program Director, National Governors Association’s Center for Best Practices Environment, Energy and Transportation Division
• Department of Energy (May 23, 2018): Craig Zamuda, Senior Policy Advisor for Climate and Environmental Analysis
• The Pew Charitable Trusts (June 18, 2018): Laura Lightbody, Project Director for the Flood-Prepared Communities Initiative
• National League of Cities (June 25, 2018): Cooper Martin, Program Director of the Sustainable Cities Institute

 CEBN Involvement

The CEBN will lead complementary initiatives to inform and engage members in significant policy issues arising out of the BCSE-led dialogue. Via weekly newsletters, webinars, and policy alerts/sign-on letters, the CEBN will provide opportunities for members to learn about policy developments on resilience and reliability and speak up on issues impacting the clean energy industry. Once the BCSE White Paper on Resilience and Reliability is finalized, the CEBN will disseminate a copy to members and organize a webinar briefing. Finally, the CEBN will work to promote public awareness of clean and reliable energy technologies through communications tools and events such as the Faces Behind the Facts project, the CEBN Power Circuit event series, and member case studies.

CEBN members at the Executive Circle level are welcome to participate in the Resilience and Reliability Dialogues more directly as follows:

• Invitation to participate in the BCSE’s Thought Leader Speaker Series via conference call
• Opportunity to provide feedback on draft CEBN advocacy sign-on letters and education campaigns before circulation to the general membership
• Priority consideration for CEBN event speakers, case studies, podcasts, and other educational outreach to the public and policymakers on topics relating to this initiative

View the CEBN Membership Prospectus to learn more about our three tiers of membership (Basic Member/free, Business Network, and Executive Circle). To sign up for Executive Circle membership, please visit the appropriate link below, which reflect our current discounted rates:

• $500 for companies with <$1.5M in annual revenues
• $1,500 for companies with >$1.5M in annual revenues

To learn more about membership in the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (CEBN’s parent organization), please contact Lisa Jacobson.

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Listen to the first episode of the CEBN’s podcast—Powering through the Storm (9.22.17) to learn more about clean and efficient technologies that improve energy resilience and reliability.

 The Clean Energy Business Network (CEBN) is a group of 3,000+ business leaders working in every aspect of the clean energy economy. Members are diverse, but predominantly C-suite executives of small- to medium-size businesses across the U.S. The CEBN serves as a collective voice before policymakers empowering these small businesses, and helps these companies navigate funding, networking, and business development opportunities. Started in 2009 by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the CEBN is now a division of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy. Please visit www.cebn.org to learn more about the network or to join.