Clean energy becoming a prominent issue on chamber policy agendas
What does clean energy leadership for chambers of commerce and economic development agencies look like in 2024?
A decade ago, CICE released our Chambers as Change Agents report, profiling ten chambers that recognized the emerging clean energy boom and were leading their regions through innovative programs, initiatives, and partnerships. This leadership came from large chambers like Chicagoland, Austin, and Cleveland tackling ambitious goals like grid reliability, large-scale economic investment, and clean energy workforce development. It also came from chambers outside metropolitan regions, like Bartlett (TN)’s “Team Green Zone” initiative and Flint-Genesee (MI)’s “E3 Innovation Network”, serving as examples that all chambers can play an outsized role in remaking their region's economy.
As the chamber role in the clean energy economy has grown, so has the scope of that involvement. In the years since that report, CICE has seen a growing number of chambers add clean energy to their annual policy and legislative agendas. In particular, chambers in states not known for clean and renewable energy innovation just a few years ago, have developed and acted on clear policy statements that welcome innovation in the clean energy space.
Here are five examples of chambers that are leading on clean energy in states that have been slower to embrace the clean energy economy:
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce (SC)
The chamber includes clean energy throughout their legislative priorities:
“Talent, Education, and Workforce: Support funding for the Electric Vehicle Institute at Trident Technical College”
“Infrastructure: Support funding for electric vehicle charging stations and incentives for the infrastructure needed.”
“Environmental Stewardship: Support the expansion of solar and other renewable power resources statewide.”
In their state legislative priorities, under “Talent, Education, and Workforce”, the chamber lists, “Support funding for the Electric Vehicle Institute at Trident Technical College.”
Additionally, under “Infrastructure,” the chamber lists “Support funding for electric vehicle charging stations and incentives for the infrastructure needed.”
Finally, in the competitiveness issues, under “Environmental Stewardship”, the chamber lists “Support the expansion of solar and other renewable power resources statewide.”
Billings Chamber of Commerce (MT)
In their Natural Resources & The Environment policies, the chamber supports:
“Initiatives to ensure U.S. energy independence.”
“Exploring opportunities to bring new green energy industries to Billings.”
“Efforts to modernize and strengthen Montana’s energy grid to improve reliability.”
Additionally, they oppose:
“Policies designed to slow or prevent the development of an innovative green energy business sector.”
Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce (ID)
In their Energy, National Security, and Federal Programs issues, the chamber lists:
“Support efforts to recognize nuclear, hydrogen, geothermal and other clean energy technologies, including critical mineral extraction, as important assets to the State of Idaho.”
“Advocate for grants and programs to support modernizing infrastructure, grid reliability, grid resiliency and affordability.”
Lincoln Chamber of Commerce (NE) (federal) (state) (local)
The capital city’s chamber addresses energy at all three levels of government, with language directed at innovation and economic competitiveness.
On the federal level, under “Energy Policy”, the chamber lists:
“Agriculture’s vital role in developing sustainable energy”
“Market-based, long-term plans to create more available and affordable energy”
The chamber adds “Action on Climate Change will require collaboration among all stakeholders. Inaction is not a viable option, and we believe business can and should play an important role in developing innovations to reduce greenhouse gases.”
On the state level, under “Economic Growth & Competitiveness”, the chamber says:
“Our public energy sector, which is unique to our state, is another central component of successful economic growth, as is our private energy sector. Lincoln and Nebraska should continue to be a welcoming economy that highly values inclusion, diversity, and supports equal opportunity.”
On the local level, under “Energy & Environment”, the chamber says:
“The Chamber recognizes that energy is a catalyst for economic growth and job creation in southeast Nebraska. Demand for renewable energy is increasing, especially among Fortune 100 companies, and we are confident they will continue to drive demand. As we work to attract investments from many of these businesses to our community, we will continue engaging industry leaders across the energy spectrum to drive an advanced, reliable, affordable, diversified, and “all-of-the-above” energy economy.”
Under its energy policies, the chamber advocates for:
“A diversified, cost-effective fuel mix including clean coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, storage, biomass, biofuels and North American petroleum”
“Investment in new, cost-effective, energy technologies, including development and deployment of new dispatchable zero- and very low-carbon technologies such as carbon capture, new nuclear, hydrogen and advanced storage, as well as the expansion of customer-owned generation including, among other resources, cogeneration, micro grids and small-scale distributed generation, which takes advantage of the load adjustment capabilities of customers”
“A transition plan that maintains reliability of the electric grid”
CICE is currently compiling policy agendas from chambers across the country that feature clean energy or sustainability on their websites, legislative or policy guides, or programing. If you would like to share your clean energy, sustainability, or climate policy statements, goals, or priorities, please email them to CICE’s Director of Policy, Rob Bradham.