Xcel Energy CEO Ben Fowke Joins American Energy Innovation Council
Washington, D.C.– The American Energy Innovation Council (AEIC) today announced that Ben Fowke, the chairman, president, and CEO of Xcel Energy Inc., has joined the council.
Fowke joins a group of America’s leading business and innovation executives—including Norman Augustine, Wanda Austin, Neal Blue, Mark Burns, John Doerr, Tom Fanning, Tom Farrell, Jay Faison, Bill Gates, Mike Graff, and Chad Holiday—who seek to promote American energy innovation. The group formed in 2010 and is united in its belief that technological innovation—especially energy—is at the heart of our nation’s economic growth, national security, global competitiveness, and environmental sustainability. AEIC works with business leaders, Congress, the Department of Energy, and others to build broad bipartisan support for sustained public and private investments in innovation.
“Xcel Energy has made enormous strides in reducing emissions affordably by relying on advanced renewable and other clean technologies. Clean energy innovation is critical to achieving our vision of delivering 100 percent carbon free electricity that is both affordable and reliable. I’m proud to be part of the AEIC as it promotes the clean energy technologies we will need in the future,” said Fowke.
“Ben is an excellent addition to AEIC, given Xcel Energy’s ambitious goal of 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2050, he recognizes more than most the critical role that federal investment in innovation plays in developing and demonstrating new energy technologies at scale,” said AEIC co-chair Norm Augustine. “He is a corporate leader on the front lines of deploying advanced energy technologies and we look forward to working with him to ensure that the United States is a leader in inventing and producing these technologies.”
“The leadership that Ben has demonstrated throughout his career demonstrates the value of his addition to AEIC,” said AEIC co-chair Chad Holliday. “Further, he understands what it takes to get new energy technologies online in a competitive environment where maintaining low costs and reliability for the end user remains the most important factor.”
Fowke joined eight other AEIC members in sending a letter to congress calling for continued bipartisan support of energy R&D funding. This letter, released today, highlights the important role that innovation has played in America’s economic strength over the past decades and the critical role of the federal government plays in supporting energy innovation.