Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) Adds SC to Regional Chapter Network
July 23, 2012
SC Clean Energy Business Alliance (SCCEBA), AEE and EnergyFoundation release census, primer examining South Carolina’s advancedenergy industry
COLUMBIA, SC – July 23, 2012 – Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), anational business organization representing the advanced energyindustry, today announced the addition of its latest state chapter, theSouth Carolina Clean Energy Business Alliance (SCCEBA), at the SCCEBA2012 South Carolina Clean Energy Summit, held last week at the ColumbiaMetropolitan Convention Center in Columbia, S.C.
South Carolina Clean Energy Business Alliance (SCCEBA), which wasestablished in September 2011, is committed to building a broad-basedbusiness alliance that fosters the development of South Carolina’sadvanced energy industry. The Alliance works to represent the needs andinterests of the state’s growing advanced energy industry through policydevelopment, educational outreach to decision makers, and strategiceconomic development.
“Advanced Energy Economy is a national platform for creating a unifiedbusiness voice for advanced energy and we are thrilled to announce ournewest chapter in South Carolina,” said Graham Richard, CEO, AdvancedEnergy Economy. “We believe our chapters and affiliates are the heart ofAEE, partners working at the state level to improve the businessclimate for the advanced energy industry. SSCEBA is an importantaddition to our growing national network of business organizations. Welook forward to working with them to ensure U.S. leadership in meetinggrowing global energy needs with advanced energy solutions – a marketopportunity of historic proportions.”
Pictured: Steve Abernathy (Piedmont Natural Gas) pretends to be naturalgas during today’s keynote address by former US Congressman Bob Inglis.
Insupport of this mission, SCCEBA, in partnership with the EnergyFoundation, today released a 2011 Renewable Energy and EnergyEfficiencies Census to better outline the components of South Carolina’sgrowing advanced energy industry. The Census reflects the responses of269 respondents who self-identified on a questionnaire circulated inFall 2011 as currently having at least 50 percent of their company’sstaff time dedicated to work that is related to renewable energy, cleantransportation, or energy efficiency.
Key findings include:
- There are over 14,000 full-time equivalent employees in the SC clean energy business sector.
- The clean energy sectors with the largest number of firms are:
- Energy-efficient design and construction
- Energy-efficient retrofitting
- Solar energy
- In 2011, the advanced energy sector in South Carolina conservatively generated over $726 million in annual gross revenue.
A recently released study, the South Carolina Technology Primer,produced by Southern Growth Policies Board, further demonstrates thegrowth potential of South Carolina’s advanced energy economy. Withstrong research, workforce and economic development initiatives alreadyin place, South Carolina is well positioned to succeed in the creationof new, competitive advanced energy companies, particularly in the areasof bio products, energy efficiency and building sciences, offshore windand hydrogen fuel cells. Please click the following link to view thefull report: http://www.scceba.biz/news?mode=PostView&bmi=973445
SCCEBA joins existing AEE chapters in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New England and Ohio:
- Advanced Energy Economy Ohio, a statewide effort that includeseight state economic development groups focused on advanced energy;
- Arkansas Advanced Energy Association (AAEA), which is dedicated togrowing Arkansas’s economy by expanding the state’s workforce andmanufacturing base through the increased development and deployment ofadvanced energy technologies;
- Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA), a statewide organization dedicated to promoting Colorado’s cleantech industry;
- Clean Energy Trust, based in Illinois, which is focused onaccelerating the development of Midwest clean energy businesses byconnecting entrepreneurs, researchers and early stage companies with theexpertise and capital needed to become sustainable;
- Energy Innovation Business Council (EIBC), based in Michigan, is atrade organization made up of Michigan companies and businesses thatare at the forefront of the advanced energy sector;
- New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC), an organization of over400 advanced energy companies, venture investors, major financialinstitutions, universities, industry associations, utilities, labor andlarge commercial energy users in the six New England states seeking toelevate the region’s clean energy economy to global leadership.
About Advanced Energy Economy
AEE is a national organization representing the entire advanced energyindustry. AEE’s mission is to influence public policy, foster advancedenergy innovation and business growth, and provide a unified voice for astrong U.S. industry that serves as the economic engine driving theglobal transition to a smarter energy future. Chapters and affiliates ofAEE, and its sister organization, Advanced Energy Economy Institute(AEEI) work at the state level to help local advanced energy memberbusinesses connect, collaborate, grow and advocate for a better businessclimate for advanced energy companies. AEE has offices in SanFrancisco, CA; Boston, MA; and Washington, DC. For more informationabout AEE, please go to www.AEE.net.
About SCCEBA
The South Carolina Clean Energy Business Alliance (SCCEBA) wasestablished in September 2011 and was initially sponsored by NewCarolina – the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness. SCCEBA hasbeen tasked with building a broad-based business alliance that fostersthe development of a clean energy industry in South Carolina. Thealliance will represent the needs and interests of this growing industrythrough policy development, educational outreach to decision makers,and strategic economic development. SCCEBA does not seek to supersedethe amazing and diverse set of renewable energy and energy efficiencyorganizations already present in the state. We seek to enhance theefforts of each of these organizations by serving as an umbrella groupand communicating about the key energy-related issues facing our stateusing a unified message. For more information, please visit www.scceba.biz.
