The Six Billion Dollar Opportunity in NC
How NC’s Local Chambers Pursued the Economic Development Opportunities of Clean Energy in 2016
With North Carolina’s clean energy industry having brought in $6.4 billion in revenue and more than 34,000 jobs in 2016 according to a new report, it’s no wonder a growing number of local chambers of commerce were out front on the economic development opportunities of this booming industry last year. Here are five highlights:
Local Chambers, Businesses Celebrate Clean Energy Champions. From Greensboro to Kinston and Fayetteville to Raleigh, local chamber and business leaders celebrated NC’s 2016 clean energy champions. Winners included: Rep. Chris Malone (R); Ed White, CEO and founding board member of Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster; and Schneider Electric. More
70 Local Chamber Leaders, GOP Legislator Discuss Clean Energy. At the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives annual conference, Rep. Jason Saine (R) told leaders he wants NC to take advantage of a clean energy opportunity almost as great as California’s. “We’ve just got to make sure we can convince legislators that we need policies in place that will reflect that.” More
Local Chamber Leader Says Wind Energy Would Bring $200,000 to Community. Wind energy would increase our revenue by $200,000 a year, Win Dale of the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce said during a briefing call with local chamber colleagues from across North Carolina. Statewide, “wind energy will easily be a billion dollar industry in next couple of years if North Carolina chooses to promote it,” added Katharine Kollins of the Southeastern Wind Coalition. More
Military Expert Tells Local Chambers, Businesses that Clean Energy is Critical to National Security. Speaking to more than 60 chamber, business, and other leaders, Lt. Gen. Kenneth E. Eickmann of the U.S. Military Advisory Board said updating America’s electrical grid and allowing new energy technologies to emerge are essential to improved national security. More
Chamber Support for Wind Energy Blows Across State Lines. You know a project is good for economic development when chamber leaders cross state lines to support it. And that’s what happened around wind energy in North Carolina when more than a dozen chamber and economic development leaders from North Carolina, South Carolina and Ohio gathered to talk about the connection between wind energy and new jobs and investments in their communities. They were joined by NC Rep. Bob Steinburg (R) and more than 80 business and community leaders. More
Stay tuned for more news about local chambers helping their member companies in 2017!
Interested in getting involved? Or just want to learn more about CICE? Contact Jennifer Behr at jennifer@chambersforinnovation.com.