New Members to Join Expanded Energy Innovation Council
Washington, DC – The American Energy Innovation Council today announced that a new, diverse group of executives are joining the organization: Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO; Arun Majumdar, Co-Director of the Jay Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford University and founding director of ARPA-E; and Geisha Williams, former President and CEO of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
The council, comprised of prominent American executives and thought leaders—with the addition of its newest members—represents the emerging coalition driving energy innovation as a climate solution. This group brings together innovators, labor, and industry to advocate for the development and adoption of the next generation of technologies needed to meet climate goals.
Formed in 2010 to encourage technology innovation as a pathway to generate economic growth, security, and environmental sustainability, the council is increasing its focus on policies that support scaling these innovations. Widespread commercial adoption of these ascendant technologies would be a significant step towards the ultimate goal of decarbonizing America’s energy infrastructure in order to address climate change.
“Advanced new energy technologies reduce emissions, cut costs, improve efficiency, and make our businesses more competitive,” said Arun Majumdar, who was founding director of ARPA-E, and now co-Director of the Jay Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford University. “Aligning innovations in technology, finance, business and policy is the key to achieving many wide-shared goals with the necessary urgency and scale.
The members shared vision of decarbonizing the economy is not only motivated by the need to address the threat of climate change, but to ensuring America is the global energy technology hub and job creator over the next century.
“I am very pleased to be joining AEIC to advocate for working people,” said Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer of AFL-CIO, which represents 12.5 million working people, including those in energy industries and beyond. “Developing and deploying innovative energy technologies is crucial to jumpstarting U.S. economic growth and to creating the good, new jobs America’s families need.”
Advancing these technologies to commercial adoption will ensure the American economy remains strong and resilient.
“Electric utilities understand that energy innovations like electricity storage will be at the center of the transition to cleaner and cheaper electricity, transportation and an advanced electric grid,” said Geisha Williams, the former energy company CEO and Siemens Energy board member. “I look forward to working with the other members of AEIC on these opportunities.”
The AEIC is simultaneously announcing that founding members, Bill Gates and John Doerr, are transitioning to emeritus status. “We are deeply grateful for the remarkable leadership of Bill Gates and John Doerr on energy innovation over the last decade, and look forward to working with them in their emeritus roles,” said Sasha Mackler, director of the Bipartisan Policy Center Energy Project that hosts AEIC.