PROVIDENCE, RI -- General Treasurer Seth Magaziner was the keynote speaker today at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)'s Energy Efficiency Finance Forum -- an annual conference dedicated to catalyzing investment in energy efficiency.
"Increasing energy efficiency is vital to ensuring Rhode Island's economic strength, energy security and environmental sustainability, and as Rhode Island's General Treasurer I have pushed for the creation of new programs to make our state more energy efficient," Magaziner said, speaking to more than 200 leaders in the rapidly evolving and increasingly important energy efficiency sector.
In a half-hour keynote address to the ACEEE at the Newport Marriott, Treasurer Magaziner outlined his office's push to create new green finance programs at the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank to make our state more economically competitive, improve energy efficiency and put Rhode Islanders to work. He discussed the R.I. Infrastructure Bank's C-PACE program, which will soon begin supporting Rhode Island businesses by enabling them to finance projects that will lower their energy bills.
In recent years, Rhode Island has become a leader in driving a clean energy economy, ranking 4th on ACEEE's 2015 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. The state's policy that requires electric and natural gas distribution companies to invest in energy efficiency before the acquisition of additional supply has helped push Rhode Island to the top of national efficiency rankings, including ACEEE's own efficiency scorecard.
Rhode Island's clean energy economy is expanding; the sector grew by 6.6 percent between 2014 and 2015, creating an additional 613 jobs. The sector is dominated by small businesses, with 87 percent of clean energy establishments in Rhode Island employing fewer than 25 employees.
"The investments we are making are creating jobs and boosting economic activity by lowering the cost of doing business," Magaziner said.
About the ACEEE Energy Efficiency Finance Forum:
The ACEEE Energy Efficiency Finance Forum is the premier conference dedicated to catalyzing investment in, and scaling the market for, energy efficiency. Since 2007, attendees have enjoyed significant value in meeting and mingling with thought leaders and game-changing innovators from the industry at this important networking opportunity. Each year, the conference features more than 20 sessions covering cutting-edge developments in this dynamic and fast-growing space, and provides a foundation for tracking progress as energy efficiency and related socially responsible investments progress toward the mainstream.
The Energy Efficiency Finance Forum is an intimate venue for learning, meeting new partners, forming innovative collaborations and initiatives, and sourcing deals.
Participants Include: Clean-tech and energy efficiency investors; financiers; bankers, real estate professionals; CDFIs and other mission-driven lenders; entrepreneurs; utility staff; local, state, and federal agency personnel; energy service company personnel; policymakers; NGOs; energy efficiency program planners, operators, and evaluators; and marketing experts.