“REalizing” the Possibilities
Summer 2008 at
The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE)
Abby Poats ’09
Grand Challenges Community Colloquium
September 26, 2008
The American Council On
Renewable Energy (ACORE)
• 501 c(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, DC,
with a San Francisco office as of July 2008
• Mission: “to bring all forms of renewable energy into the
mainstream of America’s economy and lifestyle”
• Core business: convening events and facilitating
communications
– Trade: WIREC 2008, RETECH
– Policy: Phase II
– Finance: REFF-Wall Street, REFF-West
• Over 500 members including financial institutions (e.g.
Goldman Sachs), government leaders (e.g. NREL, USDA),
universities, end-users (e.g. Verizon, Google), professional
service providers (e.g. BP, GE) and allied non-profit
organizations (e.g. NRDC, USGBC)
ACORE Internship Program
• Geared toward undergraduate and graduate
students and recent university graduates
interested in a career in the renewable energy
industry
• Provides opportunities to experience and
understand the interfaces between trade,
finance, law and policy
• Dual focus: program assistance and personal
research
• Emphasis on attendance of networking events,
which provide interns with the chance to meet
key leaders in renewable energy
Program Assistance
•
•
•
•
Potential host firm contact list for ACORE’s American Bar
Association (ABA) Teleconference Series
– Monthly webinar convening energy lawyers, business
experts and policymakers
– Past & recent presentations:
• “Green Buildings and Community Development—
Getting the Rules, Regulations and Financing
Right” (June 2008)
• “Carbon Regionalism and the National and Global
Carbon Agenda—How Does This Fit Together?
(September 2008)
Website development for RETECH, the Renewable Energy
Technology Conference & Exhibition scheduled for February
2008
Research support for ACORE’s new International
Committee, which presently focuses on China
Research support for ACORE’s National Governors
Association (NGA) 50 states project
–
–
“Renewable Energy in the 14 States of the Natural Resources
Committee of the National Governors Association” presented to
the NGA Natural Resources Committee in July
Contributed to policy and technology summaries for 12 states
Personal Research
•
“Renewable Energy Highlights: Republic of South Africa”
– Overview for ACORE’s president for his 10-day trip to
South Africa
– Includes a summary, resource maps, policy
highlights, technology summaries, notable financing
mechanisms and “potential field trips” for him and
his family
– Provided the opportunity to wrap up my Cape Town
semester research on South Africa’s energy sector and
its promotion and implementation of the Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM)
•
Overview of IRENA and other international institutions
working in the field of renewable energy
– Familiarized myself with the planning documents of
the proposed International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA)
– Compiled information about the renewable energy
programs of international organizations like the
World Bank, UNEP and UNDP
Fun Outside the Office!
• Green Cup Polo
• Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
hearing on cleantech financing (July 15, 2008)
• Al Gore’s speech at Constitution Hall
• Sustainable Energy Coalition Expo
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Elsie Sheidler
at the Pace Center
and to the PEI Energy Grand Challenges
program!
Questions?