Last week in cleantech news, we were encouraged by the level of optimism heading into 2017. Most notably, the last seven days have been highlighted by President Obama making climate change and clean energy a priority in his last days in office. Over the course of the last few weeks he has promoted a sense of optimism that the victories of the last eight years will not be reversed. As corporations are realizing the positive financial effects of going green, it is possible that 2017 could see exponential improvement in the field of cleantech. Experts expect business to pay greater attention to emissions and use clean energy as a way to improve their bottom line. Leading the charge is our home state of Massachusetts by setting an example for the world on how policy can promote clean energy and contribute to the fight against climate change.
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GreenBiz : The Expanding Role of Sustainability Leadership
“Sustainability professionals are quietly and gradually expanding their scope and responsibility programmatically and strategically.”
In 2017, we will see more corporations committing to clean energy policies. According to insiders, compliance will no longer be the measure of success as leaders are tasking themselves with making a positive impact. This is reflected in the effects of the Paris Accord, shifting practices from policy guidelines to formalized standards. Enabling this trend are more formalized measurement systems that reflect the monetary value of wasteful energy. To understand the economic side of the issue, more companies are hiring CSMO’s with business expertise to identify the financial benefits of renewable energy. This trend has allowed CSMO’s to have a larger organizational impact in seeking partnerships and being role players in supply chain decisions. Environmental Impact is no longer a marketing tool or a box to check for social responsibility, but integrated into all aspects of businesses.
MetroWest Daily News : Massachusetts Eyes Lofty Electric Car Goal
A consistent national leader in cleantech and environmental policy, Massachusetts plans to set its sights even higher over the next couple of years. By this time in 2025, several state lawmakers and environmental leaders plan to see the number of electric vehicles in the state rise from 8,000 to 300,000. This goal was spearheaded by Gov. Baker and his administration’s commitment to investing $12 million in an electric vehicle rebate program. The bill passed on January 3 will require new homes and businesses to come equipped with electric vehicle charging stations. Also included in the bill are measures to provide electric vehicle only parking and make charging stations more common. Lawmakers believe that the biggest detractor from electric vehicle use is accessibility and convenience. With the new bill, those issues should be addressed and more electric vehicle usage will be more common.
Greentech Media : The States Most Friendly to Rooftop Solar, Ranked
We’re proud to call Massachusetts home, especially as it continues to prove itself a pioneer for clean energy policy. Late last week, Solar Power Rocks released their annual ranking of the states most friendly to rooftop solar. This year, Massachusetts became the sole owner of 1st place, a title it shared with New York and New Jersey last year. The ranking was earned because of the state’s low electricity prices, tax exemptions and credits.
Science : The Irreversible Momentum of Clean Energy
In His last weeks in office, President Obama shared his optimism about clean energy’s momentum and its promise for the future. In a recent editorial posted by Science.com, POTUS identifies four reasons why the progress of the last near-decade is not reversible. First, he points out that as emissions fall, economies grow. Over the course of the last eight years, the United States has seen its first sustained period of GHG emissions reductions, paired with economic growth. According to President Obama, this trend should be an example to the world that going green does not correlate with breaking the bank. His second reason is economic development on the micro side. Business are starting to realize that cutting emissions will improve the bottom line. Energy efficiency saves money typically spent on waste management or replenishing of now renewable energies. Third is the transformation of the electric-power sector, which is turning its back to expensive and wasteful coal consumption. Finally, The President believes that a global shift in momentum towards clean energy will keep the planet moving forward, even if the United States falters. POTUS concludes that the passing of the Paris Accord makes “momentum irreversible.”
GreenBiz : With a Record of 1.4 Trillion in Sustainability Assets, Investors Bail On Fossil Fuels
“As President-elect Donald Trump puts together his fossil fuel-focused administration, the investment community is moving full speed in the opposite direction, instead putting their bets on emissions reductions and support for clean energy.” 2017 could be the year of renewable energy as investors are turning away from fossil fuels. One major contributor to this movement is the increasingly lower cost of renewables. In many clean energy sectors, revenues are vastly outpacing costs, making them attractive to investors who have been dumping stock in fossil fuel companies. Even without subsidies, renewables are starting to undercut the cost of fossil fuels. Investors with long term objectives are starting to see clean energy, especially solar as a steady long-term investment. Additionally, disruption in the coal industry, highlighted by many bankruptcies is making the high emission fuel a larger risk for investors. The short-term investment market for fossil fuels is becoming less appealing while the increasing stability of renewables is proving to be more attractive every year.
BuisnessGreen : Obama Bids Goodbye to Presidency With Rousing Call For Climate Change
As President Obama nears the end of his time in the White House, he is making one issue a major priority: climate change. In his farewell address Tuesday evening, climate change was one of the focal points. He urged leaders to step across the aisle and work together to combat the issue that faces are planet. “Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to the problem. But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations; it betrays the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our Founders.” The President’s efforts on climate change and renewable energy have not gone to waste. A report published by the EIA on Monday revealed that for a third straight year, more than half of the USA’s added energy capacity has come from renewable sources. POTUS is not alone in his commitment to clean energy. A large group of businesses (600), totaling over $1 trillion in revenues are urging policy makers to keep moving forward with the policies of the last 8 years and Greentown Labs is proud to be one of them! It is clear that in 2017 a major faction of America’s most powerful will be stepping up to mitigate climate change and continue the efforts of policy makers over the last decade.