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Dear Lisa,
Last week, I traveled up to New York City to attend the BloombergNEF Summit, where I had the pleasure to hear from BCSE members, industry executives and analysts, and Administration leaders on what’s new and exciting about the clean energy transition. One of the highlights for me was listening to White House Senior Climate Advisor John Podesta discuss the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)'s government-enabled, private sector-led investments in decarbonization. As he said then, we can create a cycle of innovation that has been spurred by the IRA and service the needs of the American people for clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
That cycle has already begun. We have the numbers to prove it. In 2023 – the first full year after the passage of the IRA – the United States saw market growth both in more mature clean energy technologies and in previously slow-growing, emerging decarbonization solutions. 7.5 GW of battery storage capacity was commissioned in the U.S. in 2023, a new record for the country. And by the end of 2023, the number of manufacturing facilities planned across North America in response to the IRA rose to 104, representing $123 billion in announced investments.
These statistics come from the 2024 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, which was released by BCSE and BloombergNEF this February. The findings of the Factbook reveal that America’s position in the global clean energy economy is strong, with record-breaking deployments in 2023 of clean power resources, electric vehicles, and emerging technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture and storage. The energy productivity of the U.S. economy increased, while national emissions declined for the first time since 2020, falling to levels comparable to 1987.
This progress couldn’t have been made without private-sector-led investments across the clean energy economy. BCSE member companies – which represent a broad portfolio of energy efficiency and clean energy solutions – are the enablers of the energy transition, as they work to deploy decarbonization technologies in all 50 states. From new battery factories in Georgia, to home energy efficiency retrofits in Wisconsin, to renewable natural gas solutions in California, BCSE members are strengthening America’s energy future and creating millions of jobs.
Even amid this incredible progress, more urgency is needed to accelerate and scale deployment. On Earth Day and every day, BCSE is connecting with communities and policymakers to advocate for a broad portfolio of solutions to meet national climate commitments and build a more sustainable, low-carbon economy.
I encourage you to join our coalition in this work. Look out for BCSE events this spring and summer, where we’ll be discussing how to improve community engagement and facilitate sustainable supply chains, among other topics.
As always, make sure you’re following us on X and LinkedIn to receive the latest BCSE news – and to receive our newsletters directly, subscribe here.
Sincerely,
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Lisa Jacobson
President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy
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IN THIS EDITION
- BCSE Welcomes New Members
- The Clean Energy Economy is Thriving, Boosted by Federal Policy
- Spreading the Word of the 2024 Factbook
- Members Take Stock of IRA Implementation at the Clean Energy Forum
- Join BCSE for Upcoming Events Across the Country
- From the BCSE Blog
- What We’re Reading
- Upcoming Industry Events
- Key Industry Resources
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BCSE Welcomes New Members | |
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BCSE is pleased to announce the addition of three new members to its coalition: Emerson, a global technology and software company working at the cutting edge of energy systems automation; Koloma, a pioneer in the detection and commercialization of geologic hydrogen; and NET Power, a company transforming natural gas into clean energy through a patented oxy-combustion process.
Learn more about how to join the coalition and get involved in BCSE's federal, state, and international advocacy work. Please contact bcse@bcse.org for details.
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Spreading the Word of the 2024 Factbook | |
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Thank you to all BCSE members and partners who attended or amplified the release of the 2024 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook on February 21! The twelfth edition of BCSE’s annual Factbook – released in partnership with BloombergNEF – is a one-stop resource for the latest industry data on the American energy transformation, including energy efficiency, natural gas, renewable energy, emerging decarbonization technologies, and more.
ICYMI: Here are this year’s top findings:
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In 2023, U.S. clean energy sectors proved resilient, as both mature and emerging decarbonization industries grew despite interest rate and supply chain difficulties. A suite of federal policies boosted the clean energy transition, providing clear signals to the market that resulted in record levels of investment and deployment.
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Investments surged in the first full year after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022, boosting American competitiveness.
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The BCSE portfolio of clean energy solutions continues to provide the majority of U.S. electricity, with natural gas and renewable energy together meeting 66% of electricity demand in 2023 – up from 41% a decade ago.
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U.S. energy productivity increased by 3.8% in 2023, thanks to investments in energy efficiency.
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U.S. greenhouse gas emissions dropped in 2023, but the United States saw the most extreme weather events on record.
Download the 2024 Factbook today at bcse.org/factbook! Plus, dive deeper into the facts with the executive summary, top trends, and additional clean energy industry resources from BCSE members.
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Spreading the Word of the 2024 Factbook | |
U.S. Department of Energy Presentation, March 14 | |
U.S. Department of State Presentation, April 10 | |
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The 2024 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook received significant media coverage, including features in USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, GreenBiz, and RTO Insider. The Factbook’s data has also been picked up by Axios, Cipher, and Semafor. Podcast listeners can hear BCSE President Lisa Jacobson break down the top Factbook takeaways on Climate Positive by HASI and Experts Only by CleanCapital.
The 2024 Factbook continues to inform BCSE’s advocacy through educational briefings and events, in which policymakers learn industry trends directly from BCSE member companies witnessing them firsthand. This spring, BCSE staff, members, and BloombergNEF analysts have organized outreach and educational sessions for the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of State, and additional business groups.
Interested in organizing a Factbook briefing for your Congressional office, government agency, or business group? Please reach out to bcse@bcse.org for more information.
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Members Take Stock of IRA Implementation at the Clean Energy Forum | |
Kristina Costa, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation at the White House (Right) | |
Congressman Sean Casten (D-IL-06) (Left) | |
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BCSE’s annual Clean Energy Forum convened this March in Washington, DC, focusing on the policies and market signals needed to enable efficient implementation of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. At the member business meeting, the BCSE coalition heard from Congressman Sean Casten and the White House’s Kristina Costa, who discussed the progress of IRA implementation and the need to speed up transmission projects. Throughout the week, members also attended expert briefings on semiconductor chip supply and critical minerals, diving into the international trends impacting the American energy transition. Plus, BCSE celebrated Clean Energy Business Week at an industry reception.
Thank you to the BCSE members who joined us for the week of events! The BCSE team looks forward to hosting the Annual Membership Meeting this fall.
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Join BCSE for Upcoming Events Across the Country | |
BCSE will be traveling from Washington, DC this spring to lead conversations on advancing the energy transition at the state and local level! Please join us at these locations, or tune in online: | |
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April 30 in St. Paul, MN and online: BCSE joins Clean Energy Economy Minnesota for the release of the 2024 Minnesota Energy Factsheet, a companion project to the 2024 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook. This launch event at the Science Museum of Minnesota will feature industry experts digging into the trends and sharing how they will impact Minnesota’s clean energy future. Plus, attendees will enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the Science Museum’s innovative energy systems! Register here to join in person or virtually – and download the 2024 MN Energy Factsheet here on April 30.
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May 21 in Cleveland, OH: Heading to the 2024 Climate Leadership Conference? BCSE and Edison Electric Institute are excited to host an official conference workshop on engaging communities in the energy transition. Workshop leaders will break down how recent U.S. federal legislation – including the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act – is offering new funding opportunities for states, local governments, and community organizations to partner on energy projects. Attendees will share their experiences, best practices, and challenges with community engagement. Click here for more information on the workshop. Register here for the conference and use partner code BCSE-10 for 10% off All-Access Passes.
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JUMPing Into STEM with Johnson Controls
By Lizzie Stricklin, Communications Manager, BCSE
For BCSE member Johnson Controls, a unique public-private partnership provides the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of students who are passionate about building decarbonization.
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Getting Real: Climate Planning Becomes Finance Planning
By Bob Hinkle, Founder and Executive Chairman, Metrus Energy
COP 28 put in motion several interconnected initiatives that begin to focus on the types of financing and projects needed to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
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